#tough to fight but YES!!! it's what he DESERVES!!! he deserves to be threatening and scary it's WHAT I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR!!! | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

chrisili · 5 months

Text

Till next time | pt.1

Pairing: Edmund Pevensie x fem!reader

Summary: Prince Caspian and his maid escaped from his uncles castle. After reuniting with the Narnians and unexpected visitors, Y/N learns how to sword fight, how to be tough and how to love.

Warnings: spoilers if you haven’t watched/read Prince Caspian, cursing

Genre: angst, fluff, rom-com

Word count: 4,6k

A.N.: I am a Peter girly but… when you have three Narnia one shots written and two of them are Edmund related, do you actually deserve that title? Anyways, I changed Edmund’s age a little bit because it is a fan fiction and I can and because it’s gonna be a thing in the second part. Yes, a second part. I planned this as one only but it seems too long and rushed and doesn’t make a lot of sense to keep it in one part, so yeah enjoy!

Masterlist | pt.2: coming soon

________________________________________________________

“A son! A son! Lady Prunaprismia has this night given Lord Miraz a son!” The mans voice echoed behind Prince Caspian and his maid Y/N. They had just exchanged their last words with Cornelius, Caspians teacher, before riding out of the castle. With a concerned look he stops his horse, Prince Caspian moves his head to the right, looking at her. She just puts a hand on his shoulder and gives him a reassuring smile, even if she was scared to the bones herself. He sighs deeply and nudges Destriers side for him to run off again. While being followed by Miraz’s men, Y/N was holding on to Caspian while looking back terrified.

Prince Caspian rode both of them into the woods until Destrier kicked off his back. Them on the ground now, they immediately started to get surrounded by two dwarfs, names Trumpkin and Nikabrik and a badger, Trufflehunter. Trumpkin would be taken in by the Telmarines while Caspian would blow Queen Susans old horn, given to him by Cornelius. Later they were both sleeping in the little home of the badger and the black dwarf, which was in fact, the inside of a tree.

Y/N already sat awake at the dining table with Trufflehunter and Nikabrik, all three waiting for Prince Caspian to wake up. She was a lovely girl, always smiling and always kind. She had a lot of things to be thankful for and although a lot of those things have now been taken away from her, she was still with Caspian and that was all she needed.

“This bread is so stale.” Said Nikabrik while tearing the bread into two halves, not giving the other half to Y/N. He didn’t like Y/N, it was nothing personal, she was one of them and that was reason enough.

“I’ll just give him some soup. He should be coming around soon.” Said a different voice, Trufflehunter. While the young prince had already woken up and was now silently walking in the direction the voices were coming from, was the badger giving Y/N some soup already. She nodded her head smiling and said, “thank you very much.”

“I don’t think I hit him hard enough,” replied Nikabrik and Y/N swallowed hastily, “I think that you shouldn’t talk so foul of the Prince while he is sleeping just in the same room as you are! Especially not in front of me!” She didn’t say it mean, arrogant or threatening.

“That is right and besides that, he is just a boy!” Replied Trufflehunter.

“He’s a Telmarine, not some lost puppy. You said you were gonna get rid of him.” Y/N, who had also just woken up a few minutes ago too, choked on her soup as she heard Nikabrik say that.

The badger looked softly at Y/N and then roughly back at Nikabrik, “No. I said I’d take care of him. We can’t kill him now. I just bandaged his head. It would be like murdering a guest!”

“How do you think his friends are treating their guest?” Nikabrik said while looking disgusted at Y/N.

“Trumpkin knew what he was doing, it’s not the boys fault or hers.” Just before Y/N could speak for herself, Prince Caspian jumped into the main ‘room’ grabbing one of the pokers by the fire and started to fight against Nikabrik.

“Hold it. No, no!” Yelled Trufflehunter.

“Your highness! They are Narnians, they are just trying to help!” Y/N said urgently, quickly getting up and extending her hands to calm Caspian down.

Both stopped fighting and Caspian looked at her with wide eyes. Nikabrik just scoffed and put his sword back. Y/N walked over to Caspian and he looked at her intensely waiting for a more in depth explanation. “Prince Caspian, this is Trufflehunter and this is Nikabrik. They helped us escape from your lord father’s soldiers, one was caught… but he will be alright, right?” She said looking around for an answer. “Right.” Said Trufflehunter who was now cleaning up the soup that was so sadly spilled all over the floor.

“Wait, hold on. Am I hearing this right? Prince? That disgusting piece of a man is your father then?” Said Nikabrik jumping up again holding out his sword but Prince Caspian defended himself immediately, “my uncle! And… he wants me dead.” Said Caspian now sadder than ever, having now realized in what kind of situation he really is.

Not shortly after, Prince Caspian and Y/N went out into the woods again looking for… well they didn’t really know themselves, more Narnians? In the hope for them to follow Caspian? To defeat Miraz?

“My lord!” Y/N yelled after Caspian while she was panting, hitting rocks and punching branches out of her way. “My lord please wait! I am not that fast, wearing a dress in the woods is not easy!” She said hopelessly but also slightly laughing at herself. Prince Caspian turns around and quickly runs up to her, helping her walking further extending an arm for her to hold on to it. Almost like he was her servant not the other way around.

“I really hope it’s gonna work.” Caspian said after a while, still walking close to his only friend. “My lord?” She looked at him questioning. Y/N, who unfortunately did not have the privilege of receiving the same education as the prince was visibly confused, she had no idea what he meant. “The horn Cornelius gave me. It’s supposed to help us, bring the four kings and queens back or… even Aslan.” Y/N only gasped at that and shook her head in disbelieve. She sincerely hoped that it was true but it seemed to far fetched to be real.

While they continued walking, they eventually noticed they were being followed by none other than Trufflehunter and Nikabrik. They later met Reepicheep, the bravest one foot tall mouse you’ll ever see in your living days. Soon they would talk to all the old Narnians and unite forces to fight against Miraz.

This time walking in the woods, Y/N found herself not only surrounded by Trufflehunter, Nikabrik and Prince Caspian. This time there were hundreds of other creatures with them and oddly enough, she had never felt safer in her life, in all those years in the castle than she did right now with bulls who could speak the same language as she did.

They continued walking until Caspian heard some footsteps, he extended an arm to symbolize for the others to stop and wait while he walked further, just a few seconds later Y/N heard blades hitting against each other. Metal on metal, Caspian was fighting and he was fighting someone skilled.

Y/N started running with the others, eager to help their hopefully soon to be king. When Y/N arrived in the heart of the forest, the weirdest thing happened. She saw four people she’d never seen before but one caught her eye specifically. The boy with the blue cloth and dark hair, he stood beside two girls, one seemingly younger and the other one older than him. Edmund the Just, she thought. Now having talked and laughed with the other creatures nights before, she now knew a lot more about the legends of old and she immediately saw. She kept starring at him until he eventually realized someone was watching him, their eyes met and he just looked at her. His gaze was hard to describe, he looked at her interested, fascinated even.

After first complications they followed Prince Caspian to Aslans Tomb. Days and days of planning and fighting followed, them getting into the castle, Caspian having a mental break down because of his father, High King Peter being helpless for losing so many soldiers and friends, things didn’t look too well and Y/N hated herself that she couldn’t do anything to help.

She was just on the edge of the forest collecting mushrooms and different kinds of herbs. She was so busy aggressively pulling out random weeds at this point that she didn’t even hear footsteps appearing behind her.

“You don’t look very happy.” A male voice said and without turning around, checking who it might have been she just answered.

“No. I. Am. Great,” she huffed pulling more and more after each word.

“Are you sure? Because you are killing the meadow…” The male voice replied and something happened Y/N really didn’t intend to happen. She pushed all her rage and anger at the poor man who was trying to comfort her.

“Listen, why don’t you just leave me alone and play swords like the other wanna be soldiers? I am sick and tired of you men trying to control everyone just because you are men! Your decisions have brought us nothing but misery and just because I am a woman doesn’t mean I am weak or less smart than any of you! So how about you fuck. Off!” She said while standing up and angrily turning around in the last part.

Her heart, soul and brain died at this exact moment at this exact spot.

In front of her stood King Edmund, the handsome young man she had liked since the day they met. They had not really spoken to each other yet so she couldn’t have known it was him. She clasped her mouth with both her hands while her eyes almost fell out. She didn’t know what to say and she hoped if she just stood still long enough, she would turn invisible and he’d leave.

That did in fact not happen.

Edmund stood there eyes almost as wide as hers. If you had talked to Edmund that way five years ago he would have yelled at you and made you hate yourself and your life, if you had talked to Edmund that way five years ago and you were a guy he would have probably thrown a punch at you right here right now.

But, judging by the fact that right now is not two years ago and that the person in front of him was not a random guy but a very beautiful, hardworking and usually lovely girl that he very much liked, he just nodded and said, “right, sorry to bother you.” With that he walked away. Well, until Y/N reached for his arm, not because she had anything to say, it was more of a reflex. He looked down his arm and then turned a little to look at her. She just looked at him like a fish who didn’t have enough water.

“I- I- I- I- I AM SO SORRY, I DIDN’T MEAN TO SAY ANY OF THAT. I MEAN I DID MEAN TO SAY ALL OF IT ACTUALLY BUT NOT TO YOU KING EDMUND I AM SO SORRY. I STEPPED OUT OF LINE WAY TO MUCH, EXECUTE ME, PUNISH ME, DO WHATEVER YOU WANT WITH ME I DESERVE IT. BANISHED? DONE I’LL PACK MY THINGS RIGHT AWAY. I’LL PULL THE ROPE AROUND MY OWN THROAT UNLESS YOU’D LIKE TO DO IT YOURSELF OF COURSE. I AM SO SORRY KING EDMUND PLEASE DON’T HATE ME.”

With every word she slid down more and more being on her knees and then holding on to Edmunds legs while crying bitterly. She didn’t even stop there but I’ll spare you the rest. Edmund just looked at her with wide eyes but he caught himself pretty quickly.

While she was still mumbling apologies and ways how he could kill her or probably send her to hell, he just grabbed her shoulders and pulled her up so she was standing in front of him. He smiled at her but didn’t let go of her shoulders. “Y/N, right?” He asked softly and she nodded while wiping away her many, many tears. “Good. Listen to me, I will not kill, banish or punish you in ANY way. We are ALL on edge and I forgive you.” He said very slowly and clearly so she would understand.

She nodded, “so the guillotine? I’ll get it.” She started to walk in whatever direction because to be completely honest with you, they didn’t have a guillotine.

“No no no no, no, not the guillotine.” He said reaching after her. “NO. KILLING. Understood?” He tried explaining again. Y/N looked confused at him with her tears building up again, “but I said- I said-” “Yes, I know what you said. But it doesn't matter, it is alright okay? Don’t worry about it. We all make mistakes,” then he looked a little hurt, like he remembered something from his past, “and we deserve a second chance as long as we acknowledge that mistake. Okay?”

Y/N nodded. “Good. Would it be okay for you if you took your basket and helped cooking for dinner? I have to practice with the others and some of those mushrooms look delicious.” He said smiling and with that Y/N completely snapped out of it. “Mushrooms, dinner, food, of course! Would I be okay?! That is my job! Sword practice of course how could I be so stupid, pardon me King Edmund. I should really go, cook and stuff like that.” She grabbed her basket and basically ran away from him, he just looked after her smiling to himself.

Later after dinner, Y/N sat further away from the bonfire holding herself comforting, thinking about today. Caspian walked over to her and sat down beside her, she didn’t even greet him, that’s how bad she was feeling.

“So… you’d like to yell at me too or is that a thing between you and King Edmund?” He said laughing while drinking some wine and she looked at him shocked. “How did you? Did he tell you-” “I haven’t really spoken to him but, you were crying and yelling in the middle of our base, basically. You think no one heard?” He said with one eyebrow lifted and Y/N just let her head fall into her hands. “I am an idiot and I suck.”

Caspian just nodded, “yes, do I want to know what happened?” With her head still hiding in her hands she just shook her head and Prince Caspian let it go.

The next day was horrible. Y/N was too embarrassed to look at anyone so she left early into the woods, or so she planned. On the way outside she heard Prince Caspian yelling after her, “Y/N! Y/N! Hold up!” She sighed sadly and turned around with a trained smile. “My lord?” “Yeah yeah, I have a little quest for you, nothing major. High King Peter will duel my uncle but someone has to bring him the message. … will do it, being accompanied by a giant, a centaurs and you.” He said kind of mumbling the first person.

“A giant, a centaurs and what will go with us?” She asked stretching her neck a little so she would understand better.

“ing Edmns…” he said mumbling again.

“Sorry, what?” She asked again walking even closer to Prince Caspian. “King Edmund.” He said hiding his smile, of course it was King Edmund.

---

“I, Peter, by the gift of Aslan, by election and by conquest, High King of Narnia, Lord of Cair Paravel and emperor of the Lone Islands, in order to prevent the abominable effusion of blood, do hereby challenge the usurper Miraz to single combat upon the field of battle. The fight shall be to the death. The reward shall be total surrender.” King Edmund read all of this off his scroll in front of Miraz and the other lords. Y/N stood a little in the back not too far from Lord Glozelle. While Edmund rolled his scroll back up, Miraz started talking.

“Tell me, Prince Edmund…”

“King.” Edmund interrupted and Y/N smirked at his remark.

“Pardon me?” Lord Miraz asked with a startled look on his face.

Edmund looked up from his scroll, “it’s ‘King Edmund,’ actually. Just ‘King,’ though. Peter’s the High King. I know, it’s confusing.”

Lord Miraz and Lord Sopespian looked at each other puzzled.

“Why, would we risk such a proposal when our armies could wipe you out by nightfall?” Miraz asked.

Edmund looked at the lords as he studied their faces, “haven’t you already underestimated our numbers? I mean, only a week ago Narnians were extinct.”

“And so you will be again.”

“Well then you should have little to fear.”

At that Miraz laughed out loud. “This is not a question of bravery.”

“So you’re bravely refusing to fight a swordsman half your age?”

Y/N turned around so her wide smile wouldn’t show. Lord Mirazs smile on the other hand faded instantly as he leaned forwards in his chair. “I didn’t say I refused.”

With a lot of talk and arguing, it was decided that they would fight each other. On their way back, the giant and centaurs in the back and Edmund and Y/N in the front, they started talking. “First of all I want to deeply apologies again for how I behaved the other day King Edmund I shouldn’t have-” but before she could finish her sentence he held out a hand and shook his head smiling. She smiled back and started a new topic, “I just wanted to say, the way you talked to these lords was incredible. I have never seen such courage before especially at your age, although I probably shouldn’t say that.” “My age?” He looked at her amused and she blushed a little, “you know, judging you are like… 15?” At that Edmund laughed out loud and she looked at him confused. “Did I say something funny?” Edmund shook his head still laughing, “no, no you didn’t. It’s just that I am 17 and technically I am 32.”

(My math goes like this: LWW Edmund is 12. I aged them up so that instead of waiting one year to go back they waited five, because. Anyways, 12 plus 5 is obviously 17 plus the 15 years they spent in Narnia before going back the first time.)

“You are older than me? I will be 17 in only two months…” she said surprised and he looked at her still amused.

“Y/N” he said. She looked at him questioning. “Would you like me to teach you some swords ‘play’?” She cringed at the word ‘play’ remembering their earlier encounter with each other. “It would be an honor your highness.”

---

“Just try to hit me, don’t worry too much.” And with these words Y/N swung her practice sword as hard as she could at Edmund, him not having imagined her to hit as hard as she did, he almost lost balance defending himself.

“Wow wow easy, alright, you almost killed me.”

“I am sorry but you said to hit! And not to worry!” She exclaimed straightening herself.

“Yes but this time maybe a little less force okay? You are very good but you’re wasting too much energy on one swing.”

She nodded and got into position but he looked at her feet and shook his head. “That’s not it, you have to-, wait let me help.” He went over to hit her feet softly with his so she would stand steadier. “Also you have to hold the sword a little higher.” He took her arm from behind and pushed it upwards. His gaze then slowly went to hers. They were incredibly close to each other, noses almost touching.

“EDMUND!” Peter yelled from the inside of their base. “We have to talk about tomorrow, come on!”

Edmund just kept looking at Y/N and yelled back, “Yes Pete! On my way!” He kept looking at Y/N for a few more seconds, then he slightly bowed and turned around to get to Peter.

Y/Ns legs became weak and she dramatically fell to the ground, her head red and hands sweaty. “I am done.”

Done, was also King Peter way later after he fought Miraz, after Caspian couldn’t kill his uncle and after the war was over. Y/N had been fighting very well, she was scared but determent to help and so she was a great fighter. After meeting Aslan she felt great, they had won and the Narnians were free again. It was time to celebrate, dance and be happy. Everyone was in the new conquered castle, drinking, singing, eating and confessing.

One confession should be especially interesting for you, dear reader.

---

“Your Majesty, can I speak to you for a second?” Y/N said after walking over to the big table where all the old and new, kings and queens of Narnia sat. Edmund looked at Peter and he nodded with a smile. Edmund and Y/N walked out of the main hall to a more quiet place. They walked down the hallway and Y/N suddenly stopped which made Edmund stop too.

“I wanted to tell you something…” she said looking at him nervously. “I don’t expect you to say it back, I don’t even expect you to answer me at all but I have to get this off my chest.”

She was fidgeting with her fingers looking down at them, she was extremely nervous but she had to tell him how she felt.

“I… well, I- the first time I saw you, I was extremely fascinated by you. You were just… incredibly handsome but that’s not all obviously! Over the last weeks I have thought about the way you think and the way you talk and I love all of it. The way you express yourself is so beautiful and the way you care about your family really made me realize how must I love you. I love you King Edmund and an awful lot of that too, it is so much love that it almost hurts and I can hardly breath. There are no words in this world to describe my love for you… I’d probably have to invent another language just to slightly express how I feel.”

She had now looked up at him and her tears started building up, not because she was scared of sad. It was because all of her emotions were too much to be held in her body, she was overwhelmed and to be honest after all that happened she was very happy to let it out. Edmunds expression was evident, he was smiling one ear to another and with that he hugged the girl in front of him tightly and laughed, “I love you too, I love you, I love you, I love you so much.”

Y/N laughed and cried more into Edmunds shoulder while she hugged him as if her life depended on it. They looked at each other and without another word they kissed both smiling and as happy as one could be. As Y/N wanted to break the kiss, was Edmund just leaning in more and more pecking her lips not wanting to let her go and she laughed even more pecking his lips back. Their foreheads rested on each other and he whispered, “I love you.”

“Ew.” Came a voice from beside them around the corner, it was now King Caspian and Queen Susan who had just gone for a little walk around the castle. Y/N eyes widened as she let go of Edmund, not immediately or hastily. “King Caspian,” Edmund said smiling nodding his head while still holding on to Y/Ns hands and Caspian nodded back smiling, “King Edmund.” They smiled at each other while Susan cocked up an eyebrow looking at Y/N questioning but she just shook her head slightly confused.

“I think we should leave them alone, don’t you?” Caspian asked Susan as they were turning back to where they came from. Susan nodded, “I wasn’t planning on seeing this as it is.”

---

The next morning everyone met up to send the people who did not want to live the new way, to the old place where the old kings and queens of Narnia lived also. After Lord Glozelle and Caspians aunt left with his cousin, the people got suspicious.

“HOW DO WE KNOW HE IS NOT LEADING US TO OUR DEATH?” One shouted and the others agreed, Y/N stood in the front close to Edmund and she looked worried at him but he gave her a reassuring smile just as she had done to Prince Caspian at the beginning of this story.

“Sire. If my example can be of any service, I will take 11 mice through with no delay.” Reepicheep, the mouse, offered while talking to Aslan. But Aslan only looked at High King Peter and something very uncomfortable started to build up in Y/Ns stomach.

“We’ll go.” Peter said and Edmunds heart sank into the earth beneath him, “we will?”

Without further explanation Peter just walked up, “come on. Our time’s up.”

Y/Ns mind had already gone blank while the others were talking, they were saying that Peter and Susan were not needed in Narnia anymore and that Lucy and Edmund would return. While Susan went up to King Caspian and Peter and Lucy to Trumpkin, Edmund did go to Y/N holding her hands with his.

“I am so sorry… I had no idea this was, this was how it was going to be.” Edmund said with glossy eyes looking slightly down into the girls eyes and she looked back at him worried.

“I don’t want you to go.” She wanted to say so many things, so many more words but she couldn’t, her throat was tied.

He shook his head now tears flowing down his cheeks, “I don’t want to leave.”

Y/N turned forwards Aslan, “Aslan, couldn’t I go with them? You said everyone could choose to go or stay.”

Aslan smiled at her shaking his head softly, “I am afraid not dear one. Edmund and yourself have quite an important role in the future. Things must happen the way intended.”

Y/Ns looked so incredibly sad, it was hard to look at her without getting sad yourself. “Will I see him again then?”

Aslan smiled and nodded and Edmund and Y/N looked at each other hopeful.

Their foreheads rested against each others savoring their last moments together until next time.

“I love you,” he whispered, heart hurting. She closed her eyes as she whispered back, “I love you.”

Then they kissed each other before hugging as tightly as they could. Both of them crying and everyone feeling sorry for them, they parted. He was about to let go but she held onto his hand and he looked back.

Her eyes said: don’t go.

He turned around again and cupped one of her cheeks kissing her one last time, their salty tears being the last thing they tasted from each other before Edmund turned around again and with one last look at her over his shoulder, he left.

70 notes · View notes

oswildin · 6 months

Text

I don’t know how I feel when people say they ‘want the old Loki back’…

Whilst I get it, trust me, Dark World Loki made my knees weak, but I think the version we have now is so much better… Ragnarok Loki quickly became my favourite for the pure fact that he finally began to accept himself, he was willing to sacrifice himself to save Thor, because there ain’t no way my man picked up that dagger and didn’t know he was gonna die I—

TVA Loki is more grounded. He was shown that his whole desire for a throne was ultimately meaningless (I mean in the grand scheme and tbh he never really wanted it in the first place, just wanted to be Thors equal). Even when Miss Minutes and He Who Remains tries to tempt him into getting his throne, sure he falters for a moment, but he knows that isn’t his purpose now. He is actively trying to not do what led to his mothers death. Be bitter and callous (or at least portray that that’s who he is when we all know he’s always had a heart and is emotional).

Sure, i get it, you want intimidating Loki, powerful Loki, threatening Loki… But episode two showed he can still be those things, except now with more restraint. And I actually think it makes him more intimidating that he was so ‘goofy’ and casual in how he spoke to Brad during the interrogation scenes. His calmer demeanour instead of blind rage is scary.

Loki has a duality that many characters don’t. He can be the tough intimidating guy, he can be the emotional guy, he can be the problem solver and the problem maker, he can be a good friend and a bad one… He’s so multifaceted and I think only wanting the ‘villainous’ side of him diminishes his character slightly.

I related to Loki in Thor 1 because to me he was someone who was lost, confused and hurt, lashing out like… well, like a child. And we now know that that role had been thrusted upon him due to his supposed ‘path on the sacred timeline’, that he was ‘made to cause others pain’. But he’s learning that it doesn’t have to be that way, that he can simply be himself without the hardened armour, the mask of a villain. It was always clear he didn’t enjoy hurting people. The fact he cried when he was fighting Thor, he cried when his mother died, even when his father died he was upset (despite me thinking odin didn’t deserve it but anyways…)

And everyone likes to reference the scene where Loki is taking that man’s eyeball in the Avengers, but if the theory is correct he was under the influence of the mind stone, then it was most likely amplifying his darker thoughts and emotions, hence the smile. He finally felt like he held the power, he had the upper hand. It wasn’t about the torture he was inflicting, it was about how people finally were viewing him as someone to take seriously, be afraid of. (Plus I really doubt at that point marvel even had in mind how his character would progress considering I don’t think any of them expected Loki to become a beloved character, hence why I take that scene with a pinch of salt).

People also say ‘how did he go from this to this’ or ‘this the same Loki that did this’, like… People can be multifaceted… They can have different sides to themselves… I think if deleted scenes with Loki weren’t cut, it wouldn’t feel that way so much to some people. For example the deleted Thor and Loki scene from Thor 1 where he turns the wine into snakes, showing his childish like mischief, him telling Thor he loved him despite his own jealousy. That one little scene would’ve added more depth to his character (in that film), and the scene with his mother where he gets given the throne? Ugh, should’ve been kept in because it showed his shock at being given that power. And also, his plan - whilst yes, bad and misguided - was all about trying to prove himself, and protect his family in the process from the ‘monsters’ that he saw himself as, almost to be like ‘see I’m not like them, look-‘.. I—

I want to see Loki feel accepted, banter with Mobius, eating pie even though it’s too sweet, embracing his powers and magic for good (and mischief ofc), be honest and talking about his past/emotions, beginning to realise that he can be whoever he wants. He doesn’t have to fit in a box, not a villain or a hero, but someone who is flawed and is trying his best.

Thanks for coming to my TED talk.

#Loki #loki laufeyson #loki marvel #loki series #marvel #mcu

21 notes · View notes

ladybonheur · 1 year

Text

Water dripping day by day (Arataki Itto & Tartaglia | Childe)

Summary: Panic overtakes Itto when he hears that Yoimiya has taken the kids in a hunt for the Great Mujina Youkai. Not only is that terribly dangerous and irresponsible but now the kids will not stop talking about how cool and strong this new "Tartaglia" adventurer is. Which is also dangerous and irresponsible, because only he, Arataki Itto, is supposed to be the kids' hero. Nobody steals Itto's thunder. Time to teach that outlander a lesson.

Read on Ao3

Let us start by acknowledging a difficult truth: being Arataki Itto was not easy.

What a ridiculous thing to say, you might think on reflex – and you would not be entirely wrong. After all, he had everything most people could wish for. He was incredibly strong, owner of a power acknowledged by the gods themselves. Even though he had fallen prey to a certain tengu’s dirty trickery during the enforcement of the Vision Hunt Decree, he had since sharpened his senses and could say with confidence that yes, he was the strongest in Inazuma, second only perhaps to the Almighty Shogun herself. Moreover, he had a magnetic personality and was a natural leader, loved and cherished by his friends and admired by acquaintances. He even had naturally devilish good looks. With all of these blessings, you might ask, could anything really trouble this man?

But reality is that, despite his great attributes, Arataki Itto was a humble man and sometimes even his shoulders sagged under the weight of his commitments.

First and foremost was his gang – his dream team, la crème de la crème. Regardless of how much faith Itto put in them, he was still their boss, and that meant taking responsibility for their wellbeing. Ensuring they were all fed, sharp, content, and rad. Promoting the gang’s activities and consolidating the people’s respect for them. Keeping them away from too much trouble with Tri-Commission officials. It was a task he took very seriously, as the reliable oni he was.

Then there were his finances, which were always in a more critical state than he would have liked. Blame it on Itto’s generous disposition if you will, but he could not deny his homies the fine pleasures of life. They deserved as much. And even though some of his fellow Narukami denizens often argued that he could resolve the situation by getting himself a “proper job” – whatever that meant –, Itto found that few positions could accommodate his hectic schedule.

Such time constraints related to the third of his commitments: improving the physical and mental fortitude of rare Inazuman beetles to handle high-stress competitive scenarios. Or, as he liked to call it, “extreme onikabuto fighting with emphasis on ‘extreme’”. It was a tough business to get into, requiring not only dedication but a keen eye for finding the most promising little warriors.

Naturally, he handled these responsibilities with his head up high and a dashing grin. But when the pression mounted and threatened to dampen his spirits, he always knew where to turn to. He would go to the streets of Hanamizaka and restore his energy through the smiles of children, which only grew at the sight of him. He would play Temari with them, chase them around, tell them stories about his feats, test their Genius Invocation TCG decks, and teach them the secrets of onikabuto duels. Itto considered it his duty and privilege to impart his wisdom to the younger generation and the kids’ adoration was a reward in and of itself.

So it was with great surprise that, when Itto announced his arrival in Hanamizaka that day, his only greeting was silence. No Iwao clinging to his arm demanding a wrestling rematch, no Saika asking to see Ushi, no Matsuzaka trying to hide his Konpeito Candy before Itto could ask for a bite. Only the chatter of vendors and customers going about their daily business.

Aoi from Tsukomomono Groceries noticed his crestfallen expression and called him over.

“Hi, Itto! Are you looking for the children? I saw them leaving the city with Yoimiya a few hours ago. They should be getting back soon, though, since it is getting late.”

Yoimiya. Of course she would be the one behind this disturbance.

To the unobservant, one might be tempted to conclude that he disliked Yoimiya. That would be incorrect, however. Itto respected her as a fierce rival for the children’s love and attention. It was not easy to compete with her fireworks, especially when they threatened to singe his horns. He had often challenged her to eating contests and was humble enough to admit that not all of them had resulted in his triumph. But, as annoying as her antics were, she made the children happy. And she would gift him with little bull-shaped fireworks for Ushi, which was nice of her. So Itto decided to forgive the children for missing their meeting with him and come up with another challenge for Yoimiya when they all got back.

He waited around as patiently as he could, fiddling with his onikabuto and earning a glare from Hajime when he stopped by to admire the Amenoma blades, cutting his finger in the process. It was a while after sundown when a familiar group approached the city’s entrance.

“Well, well, well, look who decided to show up. Thought you were scared of losing another Genius Invocation TCG match or something,” Itto said, crossing his arms over his chest with a smug smirk. The children ran up to him, but he noticed their faces did not lit up as much as usual. There was something else amiss as well. “Wait, where is Yoimiya? Wasn’t she with you?”

“She stayed behind with Tartaglia in Chinju Forest,” Saika replied in a sullen tone. “We wanted to stay too, but our parents made us come home for dinner.”

Itto frowned. “Tartaglue? Is that some kind of candy?”

“Tar-ta-glia,” the girl repeated, stressing out each syllable. “He is an adventurer from abroad. He was helping us track down the Great Mujina Youkai.”

“What? The Great Mujina Youkai? And he took you with him?” Itto was baffled by this outlander’s sheer irresponsibility. And Yoimiya’s as well! Even though he was an ardent advocate for youkai rights, the Great Mujina Youkai’s reputation was less than savory. What was she thinking, letting the children tag along in such an endeavor?

Matsuzaka noticed the shift in Itto’s expression and quickly intervened. “There was no danger, though! Tartaglia is a youkai specialist!”

Those words did not have the intended calming effect. Instead, Itto found his voice rising an octave. “If anyone here is a youkai specialist it’s me! I’m an oni, for Archon’s sake! Bet this outlander could not recognize a youkai if they punched him in the face.”

Iwao snickered. “As if they could ever land a blow on Tartaglia! He’s stronger than any youkai!”

Itto felt as though someone had kicked him in the windpipe. This had to be a joke, and a poor one at that. Iwao did always have a weird sense of humor.

To his horror, he found Saika nodding. “Tartaglia is so cool! He can make weapons out of water and he’s super fast!”

“You should have seen the way he dealt with those monsters,” Matsuzaka beamed. “The Abyss Mage was like ‘Oh, you’ll never defeat me!’ and Bro Tartaglia was all voosh, shhh, ka-tchaw! And he cut through its shield in one go!”

“He’s so funny too! Do you remember the story he told us about the stone giants in Liyue?”

“And he likes onikabuto!”

Each word felt like someone was digging a dagger deeper and deeper into his heart. The kids’ eyes were glistening, speaking of this outlander with so much admiration. And it was not for things outside of Itto’s area of expertise either, like Yoimiya’s fireworks. They were praising this Tartaglia for things that Itto did. Compliments that should belong to him and him alone!

Before Itto could think of a reply to the trio’s outrageous claims, their parents called, villainously threatening to cut off dessert if the children did not return home that instant. The children waved Itto goodbye, oblivious to the way his fists were clenching.

Without thinking twice, Arataki Itto headed to Chinju Forest.

As he made his way to the woods, disposing of any monsters and nobushi that dared to cross his path, Itto came to the conclusion that this Tartaglia character could not be up to any good. What kind of outlander would arrive and start dubbing himself a youkai specialist like that? And try to captivate the children with fighting skills? Honestly, it was disappointing that Yoimiya had been so reckless as to let him get close to the kids. Thank the Archons that Itto had been around.

He arrived at Chinju Forest in record time, having only been distracted by the bake-danuki on the way twice and gotten fresh cabbages in reward. Once there, it did not take him long to detect Yoimiya’s voice. He followed the sound and found the fireworks maker engaged in excited conversation with a taller man – but still shorter than Itto – wearing a gray suit and a crimson scarf. On top of his head, amidst a messy mass of ginger hair, a blood red mask hung crooked to the left. Such an outlandish outfit could only mean that this was Tartaglia.

(Itto shushed the small voice at the back of his head whispering that, hey, that was kind of a cool style.)

As the oni approached, he was able to get a better glimpse of the man. Tartaglia was smiling at Yoimiya, listening attentively to whatever the woman was saying. He was young, perhaps the same age as Itto, and carried himself with a confident posture. His eyes were of a deep blue that shifted in Itto’s direction just enough to show he was aware of the oni’s presence before coming back to Yoimiya.

The more he saw of the man, the hotter Itto’s fury burned. How dare he also be good looking, copying yet another of Itto’s traits? At least his name was still silly - let’s face it, Tartaglia sounded like some kind of noodle.

Itto did not bother to be subtle about his presence as he stomped through the red torii gate towards the duo, index finger pointed at Tartaglia’s direction. “YOU!”

Yoimiya started, turning around with wide eyes. When she saw it was him, she let out a sigh of relief.

“Oh, hi, Itto! Didn’t think I would bump into you today!”

Itto ignored the fireworks maker, locking his stare with the ginger man’s. Tartaglia’s expression, before relaxed and jovial, now assumed an air of confusion.

“I have a score to settle with you!” declared Itto, stepping closer until he was face to face with Tartaglia. The outlander smirked, seemingly unperturbed by Itto’s outburst.

“Is that so? And what might I have done to incur your wrath?”

Dang, even his voice was silky. No wonder the kids had been so easily seduced. Again, thankfully they could count on Itto’s level-headedness to handle the situation.

“You think you’re so cool, huh? Coming here, calling yourself a youkai specialist and showing off in front of the kids. Well, let me tell you something, compadre. I, Arataki Número Uno Itto, the Unparalleled Crimson Devil, am the protector of those kids and their most beloved hero! I will not allow someone like you to try and take my place! Especially someone who takes the children to chase off dangerous youkai!”

“Itto, wait,” Yoimiya said, trying to put herself between the men. “The Great Mujina Youkai is-”

“Arataki Itto,” Tartaglia repeated slowly, putting a hand on his chin. “The kids’ beloved hero, you say? So weird, then, how they didn’t mention you while we were hanging out. Or when I was saving Iwao from a hilichurl camp earlier today.”

Itto stiffened. That had been a low blow.

“Well, maybe they were too busy wrapping their heads around your weird dumb name.” That hadn’t been his best comeback, but at least Itto knew he had the advantage name-wise. To his growing irritation, Tartaglia chuckled.

“I think they were just surprised to see a real, strong fighter in action. You don’t get to see many of those around here, do you?”

“THAT’S IT, BRO! I’m going to make you eat your words! I challenge you to a duel, Arataki style!”

“Oh?” Tartaglia hummed, flickering his hand and summoning a bow. “Think you can entertain me?”

“If you find wiping the floor with your face entertaining,” Itto shot back, greatsword at hand.

Suddenly, an object fell at the men’s feet and an explosion immediately went off, knocking both of them on their backs. The two looked around confusedly, finally noticing Yoimiya a few meters away. Her bow was drawn and the Pyro Vision glowed.

“Yoimiya, what the heck?” exclaimed Itto.

“I am the one who should be asking that!” she cried angrily, putting her bow away and resting her hands on her hips. “You think getting into a fight is going to prove anything?”

“Well, it is certainly going to prove which one of us is the strongest,” Tartaglia argued.

“And the most rad!” Itto added.

Yoimiya sighed, shaking her head. “But that’s not the real point, is it? You want to see who the kids think is the coolest.” They nodded. “So you should have the kids come up with a contest to determine that.”

Itto and Tartaglia glanced from Yoimiya to one another, then to Yoimiya, then back to one another. Her suggestion was not unreasonable. Actually, the more Itto thought about it, the better it seemed. Once the children saw him go directly against Tartaglia, there was no way he would lose.

“Awesome idea, compadre! As expected from Inazuma’s Master Blaster.”

“Well, if the kids want to, I can’t say no,” the outlander said.

“Then it is decided,” declared Yoimiya, clapping her hands. “Tomorrow morning at Hanamizaka we’ll hold the Kids’ Choice Cool Guy Award. Come prepared!”

The men nodded and shot one final glance at one another. Tartaglia was smirking again. Itto threw his head back and guffawed. He could appreciate fighting spirit in a rival. But there was no way he was accepting defeat.

The following day, after a hearty breakfast, Itto headed to Naganohara Fireworks, where the three children, Yoimiya and, to his dismay, Tartaglia were already waiting for him. He frowned for a moment, hoping Tartaglia had not gotten any inside information on the contest during his absence. But nay. The children were loyal to him. He just had to remind them of that.

“Itto, just in time!” Yoimiya greeted as he approached.

“’Morning, comrade,” Tartaglia waved with a carefree attitude as though they were not just about to go at each other’s throats in a life-changing duel. That made Itto’s blood boil.

Before he could answer, though, Yoimiya pulled him aside and said, “Listen, I have some orders to get through in the shop today, so I am going to leave the children in your care, alright? Be. Responsible.”

“I am always responsible, bro!” cried Itto, his pitch rising in indignation. “With Itto by your side, no one gets left behind!”

“I will also be looking out for the kids,” Tartaglia said, stepping forward with a reassuring smile. Itto’s expression immediately soured. As if he needed help taking care of the kids. He had done that a bazillion times before and only a few of those times had Ogura Mio complained that he was being too competitive towards the kids. That would not be a problem this time, though; his opponent was someone else.

Said opponent then turned to Itto and casually remarked, “Wasn’t sure if you were going to show up today.”

“Oh yeah?” Itto’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “Forgot that I was the one who challenged you?”

“Haha no, not quite. It’s just that the kids were telling me a bit about you and the… heh, crying fits you throw when you lose. So I thought you would save yourself the trouble.”

The oni’s jaw fell as he felt the heat spreading across his cheeks. He glanced at the kids in enraged disbelief. Iwao and Saika took a step back, leaving Matsuzaka to explain himself. The boy rubbed the back of his neck with a bashful smile.

“It’s not that, Bro Itto… We just told him about that time when your Lil’ Nimble Ninja lost against Takeru’s onikabuto…”

“First of all, that was not crying! Those were manly tears of pride! Second of all, Lil’ Nimble Ninja was going through a difficult phase, so excuse me for getting emotional!”

“Itto, may I have a word?” Yoimiya cut in, gently putting a hand on Itto’s shoulder and guiding him away from the others. Itto followed the woman but kept his glare on Tartaglia the entire time, as if he could burn the smirk out of the outlander’s face. Once they were out of earshot, Yoimiya spoke. “Itto, if you are going to go through with this contest, you need to be mature and not fall for his taunts.”

His jaw slacked again. “But he started it!”

She let out a sympathetic sigh. “I know, I know… But you need to be the bigger man. For the sake of the kids. Don’t let him ruin your day, or theirs. Okay?” Itto grumbled something that sounded like acquiescence and Yoimiya took that as good enough. She patted his head between his horns. “Good oni.”

Itto bit the inside of his cheek to suppress a smile from taking over his face. It felt good to be acknowledged, but he could not let his guard down.

He returned to the group and stood beside Tartaglia, refusing the look at the ginger. The children lined up in front of the two men, their expressions solemn. Saika took the floor.

“We are gathered here today to determine which one of you is the coolest grown-up. Big Brother Itto, or Big Brother Tartaglia.” Itto felt concerned that they had already granted the outlander the title of “Big Brother”, but reassured that his name had come first. Good sign, good sign.

“To do that, we’ve come up with three trials. One to measure your strength, one to measure your smarts, and one to measure your courage.”

Strength, smarts, and courage. Those were Itto’s top three qualities. That was looking good indeed.

“The first trial: clearing out a hilichurl camp. The one who does it the fastest wins.”

Itto chuckled. Hilichurls were nothing but small fries to him. He could knock them out with a yawn. That Tartaglia might call himself an adventurer, but he certainly had never dealt with creatures as fierce as the ones they had in Inazuma. Heh. He was in for quite a surprise.

“Nothing like a good fight to open a competition. Excellent choice,” Tartaglia said in an obvious, sad attempt to win the judges over before the trial started. Itto could not help but pity him for having to resort to such antics. “Let’s get going then. I know a good spot where hilichurls gather.”

Itto rolled his eyes, but followed the kids, who were already running ahead.

To be fair, Tartaglia did lead them to an adequate place. A cliff next to the beach where they could see two camps with around six hilichurls, two Electro samachurls, and one rock shieldwall mitachurl each. The children could stay on the cliff and watch them fighting from a safe distance.

“Would you like to make this even more interesting?” Tartaglia asked the children when they arrived. “Putting a 60-second time limit perhaps?”

The children exchanged a pensive glance, while Itto simply scoffed. “Puh-lease. I could do it in 45 seconds.”

Tartaglia’s eyes narrowed. “I could do it in 30.”

“I could do it in-”

“We don’t care, as long as you complete the trial,” Iwao interrupted, placing his hands on his hips with an air of authority. “Itto takes the camp on the right, Tartaglia takes the camp on the left. On your marks. Ready. Go!”

They jumped from the cliff in sync, Tartaglia landing softly on the sand with a roll and Itto crashing down like a meteor. In a flash, Itto’s greatsword was in his hand. Before the hilichurls could turn around, he was already at them, swinging his blade and sending two of the monsters flying. A boisterous laugh escaped Itto’s lips as he kicked one of the nearby samachurls and blocked a blow from the mitachurl with his blade.

“Oni, comin' through!” he exclaimed, concentrating Geo energy on his greatsword and using it to shatter the mitachurl’s shield. The samachurls tried to stun him with the application of Electro, but the only thing they managed to do was trigger a shield when their element came into contact with his.

Left and right he swung, relentlessly tackling down the monsters until they dissipated into black dust clouds. Only one samachurl remained, but not for long. Itto raised his greatsword, flashing his teeth in a grin before bringing it down-

-and then a Hydro arrow flew through the samachurl’s head, causing its body to fall limp onto the ground. Itto halted, the momentum of his swing almost leading him to fall forward on his face. He stared at the samachurl’s evaporating body and then lifted his head confused. His eyes quickly met Tartaglia, who was putting away his bow with a mischievous smirk.

“HEY! That was my kill!” Itto protested, feeling the heat rise up his cheeks.

“I’m sorry, comrade,” Tartaglia replied in a tone that was anything but apologetic. “I was already done with mine and needed to do something with that arrow.”

Before Itto could react, the gleeful screams of the children reached his ears.

“That was amazing, Bro Tartaglia!”

“You were so fast we couldn’t even see you!”

“If you couldn’t see him, how do you even know he did it?” Itto grumbled. His words did not go unheard by Tartaglia. The ginger patted his shoulder as though they were old friends.

“Cheer up, comrade! You’re pretty strong, just… slow.”

“I’LL SHOW YOU WHO’S SLOW, YOU NOODLE-”

“Tartaglia wins this trial,” Saika announced, putting an end to Itto’s protests. “Now come up here so we can move to the second one.”

The men did as they were told, giving Itto time to put his chest and put on a confident face. He had underestimated his opponent, that was on him. But he was far from being defeated. Besides, he could not let the kids think he was a sore loser – he was their role model after all, and he had promised Yoimiya he would be on his best behavior. So Itto contented himself with reaching the kids before Tartaglia did. Let him see who was slow.

“We will now begin the second trial,” Matsuzaka said, grinning from ear to ear. “You have thirty minutes to catch a big onikabuto. Whoever catches the biggest one wins!”

Itto’s eyes gleamed with the fire of determination. Catching onikabuto was his prime expertise. That trial had been made for him. It was almost unfair to Tartaglia – but not entirely, of course, so no need to voice that. Moreover, he trusted the judges’ impartiality.

They moved to the area near Konda Village, where it was possible to find some onikabuto perched up on the otogi trees, if one’s eye was keen enough – as Itto’s was. As soon as Matsuzaka started them off, Itto and Tartaglia dashed in opposite directions to find their beetles.

As the top onikabuto connoisseur on Narukami Island, perhaps in all of Inazuma, Itto was quite familiar with the habits of those beetles and knew which kinds of trees they liked best. He waited until Tartaglia was far enough so he could not sniff out Itto’s trade secrets and started stalking the trees near Electro fields.

One essential fact about onikabuto was that the beetles were sneaky little buggers. They camouflaged well among Inazuma’s purple hues and were quick to fly away if they sensed danger nearby. Catching them was an art that required patience and determination. Fortunately, Itto had developed a technique for attracting them when in a hurry. A special pasty bait made out of naku weed, lavender melon, and otogi leaves. The smell was a sure-fire way to catch the onikabuto’s attention, so Itto always made sure to have some in his back pocket – and to hide his stash from Shinobu, who had threatened more than once to throw it away if he got in trouble with the Tenryou officials.

He took out the small pouch in which he kept the bait around a roll of paper and applied the paste on the branches of a tree. Then he crouched behind a bush and waited. Ten minutes passed. No sign of any beetles. Fifteen minutes. All quiet.

After twenty-five minutes, Itto walked up to the tree, inspecting the bait and wondering what he had done wrong. Had he put too much lavender melon when making it? Or maybe just not applied enough?

He was about to get more to put on the tree branch when he felt his back pocket sticky. The oni grimaced; he had put the bait back in such a hurry that he had not closed the pouch well and now his special bait was smeared all over his back pocket. And it had taken him so long to get Mamoru to prepare it too!

But before Itto could dwell on what to do after the bait fiasco, he heard Matsuzaka’s voice ringing in the distance:

“Bro Tartaglia! Bro Itto! Time’s up! Let’s see your beetles!”

Now it was “Bro Tartaglia” first?

Gritting his teeth, Itto slowly made his way back to the kids, keeping his eyes open to any onikabuto on the way. He could not lose that trial, no, especially that one. Then again, thirty minutes was too short a time to catch a decent onikabuto, even for an expert like him. That thought calmed him down; surely Tartaglia had not been able to locate a beetle either.

To his surprise, the first thing Itto saw upon regrouping was the distinctive purple carapace of an onikabuto on Tartaglia’s gloved hand. The trio of kids circled around the ginger, looking at the beetle with a kind of awe that left a bitter taste in Itto’s mouth.

“Look! Bro Itto’s here!”

Shoot. He had been spotted.

“Come on! Let’s compare your beetles! Where’s yours?”

“Uh, you see…” Itto mumbled, trying not to sound too nervous. “I had a beetle. I had lots of beetles, as you know. You’ve seen my beetles, right? We’ve had plenty of tournaments. So why not just compare Tarta-Noodle’s beetle to one of my previous ones, huh?”

“Why, comrade,” Tartaglia mused, coming closer, “no need to stretch their memories that far, no? Just show them the beetle you’ve got now.”

Regardless of the outcome of that contest, Itto was definitely going to wipe that grin off on the ground later. It would be compensation for moral damages. He had heard Shinobu mention the term once and was pretty sure he was using it correctly.

“Guys, look! Bro Itto, turn around!�� Saika exclaimed suddenly.

With a confused yelp, Itto did was requested, provoking a chorus of gasps of admiration from the children. Perched on his butt, right above the pocket where the bait had leaked, was an onikabuto at least twice the size of Tartaglia’s.

“How did you catch one so big?” asked Matsuzaka, covering his mouth in amazement.

Itto did not know what was making his grin bigger. The children’s reactions or Tartaglia’s visible annoyance. Both were pretty satisfying.

“Oh, this? It’s not even the biggest one I’ve ever gotten. Surely you remember the Fantastic Fire-Eater, from the 14th Summer Regional Onikabuto Tournament. Now that was a sturdy bug.”

“Bro Itto wins this round!” Matsuzaka concluded, followed by cheers from his companions. Itto shot a smug glance at Tartaglia, but the man refused to meet his eyes.

“Now, for the last trial,” Iwao started. He exchanged a glance with his friends, who nodded in return, visibly fighting to suppress their grins. He then turned to the two rivals and announced, “You must capture the Great Mujina Youkai and bring it to us by sundown.”

The words echoed in Itto’s mind, suppressing all other sounds. The Great Mujina Youkai. All he had ever heard about it were rumors, whispers from some adults to the kids. It was not a particularly evil entity, but a mischievous one. It was expert at lurking in the shadows and catching inattentive children with its pranks. Itto only had his sharpness of mind to thank for having never fallen victim to the Great Mujina Youkai’s tricks.

Yet, despite the youkai’s reputation, Itto had never thought of pursuing it. Not that he was afraid – him? The Almighty Bone-Crushing Daring Arataki Itto? Of course not. But going after such an elusive and naughty creature required adequate preparation to ensure that no one would suffer from unintended consequences of its wrath. And Itto was a busy man, with many responsibilities, as previously established, so he could not have just dropped everything to locate the Great Mujina Youkai.

But this was different. This was a trial, a test to prove his worth and coolness against a foreign adversary. Even if there were risks, even if the task seemed difficult, how could he refuse? He could not, lest that left a permanent stain on his name – and not the cool kind of stain, made from sweat, blood, and tears. A shameful stain, like dripping hot sauce all over you when trying to gulp a tri-flavored skewer all in one go. He could not have that.

Itto was whisked back to the present upon hearing a cough from Tartaglia. The man looked shifty, perhaps even nervous. It did not take Itto much to deduce that he was daunted by the magnitude of the task.

“Are you sure about that, comrades?” Tartaglia asked and Itto had to admire how he managed to keep his voice light when his insides were surely shivering in fear. “I mean, locating the Great Mujina Youkai is no easy feat, as you know. And it might get displeased with you. Don’t you want us to find something else?”

“But yesterday you were helping us find it!” Iwao pouted. “We really want to see the Great Mujina Youkai.”

“Besides, if you can find it, no one will be able to dispute how cool you are,” Saika slyly argued. “So that solves all our problems at once!”

Hearing that gave Itto the push he needed. He puffed his chest and placed his hand on it with confidence.

“Worry not, little compadres! Itto the Meanest Burrito here is going to win this challenge before you know it!”

“Oh, really?” Tartaglia asked, and Itto did not miss the venom dripping from his supposedly amicable tone. “And how do you plan on doing that? Do you even know what the Great Mujina Youkai looks like?”

He did not. “Of course I do! But I’m not telling you, noodle-head. Figure it out on your own.”

“Then it’s settled,” Iwao said in a tone that left no room for discussion. “We will meet you at Naganohara Fireworks by sundown. May the coolest bro win!”

With that, Itto darted off towards the Byakko Plains, without bothering to look back to check on Tartaglia. If he wanted the children to recognize the title that was rightfully his, he had no time to lose.

Hours passed by and Itto attempted a myriad of tactics to draw out the Great Mujina Youkai. Calling out its name, hurling insults, leaving fresh fruit near a cave’s entrance, leaving fresh meat near a cave’s entrance – mujina were not supposed to be carnivorous but who was he to judge? –, luring it with his new TCG deck, and even promising generous rewards if the youkai would come out just a little bit. Nonetheless, the Great Mujina was persistent and very adept at hiding. It was close to sundown and Itto had had no luck.

Anxiety nagged at the back of his head. What did it mean that he had not been able to complete the trial? Was he losing his touch? Would the kids not look up to him anymore? The thought made his stomach churn.

He remembered when he had found Iwao crying on the stairs next to the Tenshukaku because his kite had gotten stuck in a tree and none of the Tenryou officials had taken the time to help him. The fact that Itto’s butt continued to hurt for three days after falling off the tree was nothing compared to Iwao’s happiness at getting his toy back. Or when he had seen Saika stressing about her studies in a way no child ever should and allowed her to forget her worries by grooming Ushi. Or when he had taught Matsuzaka to make paper boats with his homework. Those children were always being told to be behave, to be quiet and keep out of the grown-ups’ way. But around Itto, they could run wild and play like the world was at their mercy – because he would ensure it was. In exchange, they held a place for him in their hearts as a Big Brother.

No, it was not easy being Arataki Itto – to take upon oneself the responsibility for keeping those children’s joy alive and burning.

It seemed terribly cruel to conceive that a foreign adventurer, who had been with them for but one day, could take his place so easily. What if Tartaglia left, how would the children feel then? Had Tartaglia even considered the consequences of his actions?

How would he fill his time between the gang’s duties and onikabuto training if not with the kids’ games and laughter?

He did not have the answer to any of those questions. And before he could think of looking for them, his attention was drawn to the sounds of battle nearby.

Itto rushed in the direction of the sounds to witness the end of a combat between Tartaglia and a thunderhelm lawachurl. The outlander made the Hydro blades glistening on his hands disappear with a flicker of his wrists and bent down to pick up some of the objects left by the monster – a mask and a horn. Despite the size of the lawachurl, Tartaglia did not look tired in the slightest. Even his crooked mask was still in place, how did he do that?

Itto gulped, unsure of what to make of that situation. Had Tartaglia failed as well? Or had he given up on looking for the Great Mujina Youkai? Fortunately, Itto was a master of acquiring information without letting others know that he wanted that information.

“Hey, Noodle-bro!” Itto called, sauntering closer. “Hate to tell you, but that is not the Great Mujina, you know?”

“I am well aware,” the outlander said with a roll of his eyes. “But the kids are not.”

It took a moment for the full meaning of those words to dawn upon Itto. And when it did, the oni had to exert an incredible amount of self-control not to slam his foot in Tartaglia’s face.

“You are going to cheat? And lie to the kids? Only because you could not find the Great Mujina Youkai? Are you really that desperate to look cool in front of them?”

“What? I’m lying to protect their dreams!” Tartaglia yelled, for some reason looking as outraged as Itto.

“Are you nuts, dude? How is that protecting anything?”

Tartaglia sighed. “Look, if we both come back empty-handed, they will be crushed. This way, they can keep on believing in the Great Mujina Youkai a little longer.”

Itto frowned. What was he talking about? Why would the children not believe in the Great Mujina Youkai? Even if the two of them hadn’t found it, it was still out there, no need to lie about it.

Noticing Itto’s confused silence, Tartaglia furrowed his brows as well and studied the oni’s face. He spoke slowly, “You do know that the Great Mujina Youkai does not exist, right?”

Itto blinked, processing those words. For a brief moment, the men simply stared at each other in silence. Then Itto could not take it anymore. He fell to his knees, clutching his stomach and chortling madly.

“Hahaha y-you, haha, you’re really dumb, you know? Saying stuff like that- Hahaha, I can’t believe it!”

“Excuse me?” Tartaglia asked, his voice dangerously taut.

“O-of course the Great- haha- the Great Mujina Youkai exists,” Itto managed to say, slowly getting to his feet. “How else do you think that kids’ toys keep disappearing, or that their shoes are found hanging from trees?”

Blue eyes blinked as though unable to comprehend Itto’s words. “Are you serious?”

“I sure am! Man, with those dumb ideas of yours, no wonder you looked so scared of the trial. But hey, listen,” Itto placed a hand on Tartaglia’s shoulder. Though the outlander tensed, he did not pull away, instead holding Itto’s stare with a frown. “Whether we accomplish this trial or not, don’t you dare lie to the kids like that. We can find some other thing for them to have fun with, but luring them into a false sense of security when the Great Mujina Youkai is still out there? Come on, bro, that’s not right. They deserve better than that.”

As he spoke, Tartaglia’s posture slowly relaxed until he found himself staring at the oni with eyes widened and mouth slightly agape. Itto could not blame him for the astonished reaction. He himself was amazed at how he had come up with such a great speech on the spot like that. Perhaps he should get someone to tail him and write down the cool things he said. Like a biographer. That would certainly come in handy someday.

Tartaglia looked like he was going to say something but was interrupted when the sound of distressed cries reached their ears.

“Bro Itto! Bro Tartaglia!” The men turned to see Saika and Matsuzaka running towards them. Their faces were so overtaken by panic that Itto could not even properly enjoy the fact that his name had been said first.

The kids halted when they got to them, fighting to catch their breaths. Itto got down to his knees and placed his hands on Saika’s shoulders, steading the girl.

“Easy there, lil’ bro. What happened? Where is Iwao?”

“W-we told him to wait for you! But he was stupid, he said he wanted to find the Great Mujina Youkai himself! He fell down a hill and t-there were hilichurls!”

His heart skipped a beat. “Where?”

Saika pointed her finger westward and, in a flash of deep blue, Tartaglia was already darting off. Dang, that did look cool. But Itto had no time to lose either.

“Stay here and wait for us,” he ordered, summoning his greatsword and running after Tartaglia as fast as he could.

He reached the hilichurl camp just a few seconds after Tartaglia, but the ginger had already drawn out his bow and started to viciously rain down Hydro arrows on two mitachurls. Though they tried to defend themselves with their stone shields, the impact was so strong and repeated that it did not take long for the rock to crack.

Itto searched around desperately for Iwao but did not see the boy. Maybe he had hidden behind one of those wooden barrels next to the hilichurls’ cooking pot. Itto sprinted in that direction, determined to ensure Iwao’s safety before anything else.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Tartaglia spinning around and nocking an arrow in his direction. The projectile sizzled past his horn, cutting a few strands of his hair in the process. Itto yelped and was about to tell Tartaglia to learn to properly aim when he heard a thud behind his back. A mitachurl fell to its knees, dropping an axe that surely would have gone through Itto’s head in seconds.

“Pay attention!” Tartaglia chided, turning his bow into two short Hydro blades. “You can’t help Iwao if you get hurt!”

As much as he hated to admit it, Tartaglia’s advice was not entirely ridiculous. Itto could not see any signs of blood or struggle that would suggest that the boy was in immediate danger, so that was reassuring. It would be easier to deal with Iwao as soon as all the monsters had been dealt with.

All the better. After such an eventful day, Itto needed to blow off steam anyway. Show time.

A toothy grin spread across Itto’s face as he swung his greatsword around the camp, immediately sending two hilichurl towards and its respective archers crumbling down. As the dust was still rising, he turned to Tartaglia.

“Wanna bet who takes out more?”

The ginger threw his head back and laughed. “Thought you’d never ask.”

Flashes of Hydro and Geo shone throughout the hilichurl camp in a way that was almost reminiscent of Yoimiya’s firework shows. One of the hilichurls had found a horn and blown it, calling for reinforcements. The duo thought nothing of it, slicing through the monsters with practiced ease.

Itto blocked an arrow that was coming for Tartaglia and severed the hilichurl archer’s head in one blow.

“Behind you!” Tartaglia called and ran in his direction. By pure instinct, Itto crouched down and turned the flat side of his blade to the ground. As soon as Tartaglia’s foot connected onto it, Itto threw his arm up, launching the outlander into the air. Tartaglia’s blades fused again into a bow and a shower of arrows impaled the incoming mitachurl.

Of course, such a cool move could never have been achieved without Itto’s essential assistance – no, not assistance, enablement. But now it was time for him to take the spotlight.

“Bro! Aim here!” Itto called, pointing to his Geo-infused blade. Tartaglia frowned but did not hesitate to comply, throwing an arrow at Itto with his bare hand. As soon as Hydro met Geo, a blue energy shield popped up around the oni, giving him much more room to run around without having to worry about their enemies’ attacks.

Itto cackled madly, quickly making little work of the remaining hilichurls despite Tartaglia’s attempts to knock them out first. Yet, the ginger did not look frustrated by Itto’s advances. Instead, he laughed along, a jiggling sound that almost made it seem like they were telling jokes at a teahouse instead of slaughtering a monster camp. Even when the last hilichurl hit the ground and dissolved into black dust, they continued laughing, exhilarated. The laughing only stopped when a sound of clapping reached their ears.

Itto and Tartaglia turned around to find Saika, Matsuzaka, and Iwao standing a few meters from the camp’s entrance, with a grinning Yoimiya behind them.

“That was a-ma-zing!” Iwao cried and Itto could have sworn he say stars in the boy’s eyes.

The oni rushed over to the boy, closely followed by Tartaglia, and scanned him for injuries. “Are you okay there, little bro? Where were you?”

“Me? I was with Yoimiya the whole time!”

Tartaglia frowned. “But Saika said…”

The girl giggled, her lips curving into a devilish grin. “Did you really think Iwao would have been so dumb to wander into another monster camp after you saved him just yesterday? No, silly! That was all part of the plan!”

“Plan?” the men echoed, uncaring if they sounded as stupid as they felt.

Saika nodded. “Yoimiya came to us yesterday evening saying that Bro Itto was super jealous of Bro Tartaglia-”

“What? Why would I be-”

“And that Bro Tartaglia was intimidated by Bro Itto-”

“Hang on, comrade, what are you say-”

“And so that we needed to show you that both of you are cool in your own way and can be very cool together! Just like you were right now!”

The two boys nodded for emphasis.

“I mean, did you see Bro Tartaglia’s jump? It was like he was flying!”

“And Bro Itto’s shield? He was invincible with that!”

Itto and Tartaglia could only stare at the children, mouths agape as they processed those words.

“But… the search for the Great Mujina Youkai…” Itto trailed off, uncapable of formulating a proper question.

Iwao waved a hand dismissively. “That was just a ruse to get you worked up before the grand finale. I mean, it would have been cool if you had found it, but Yoimiya had already warned us that it would be nearly impossible without a full team.” Yoimiya nodded in corroboration.

Itto felt heat rising up to his cheeks to the point where his face paint was probably undistinguishable from the rest of his skin. How could the kids have tricked him like that? He had trusted them! He had spent the entire day doing things for them! And it had all been so he could share the spotlight with Mr. Tarta-Noodle? That was insulting!

Before Itto could voice his indignation, however, Saika noticed a few trinkets hanging from Tartaglia’s belt.

“What is this? Could it be-” she gasped. “Are these from the Great Mujina?”

Itto’s eyes followed hers and found the horn and mask shards Tartaglia had collected from the thunderhelm lawachurl. Tartaglia looked from the girl to Itto, a flash of apprehension crossing those otherwise dull eyes. Itto crossed his arms and frowned, waiting for the first tinge of misbehavior from the outlander to jump in defense of the kids. He could grieve over their betrayal later, maybe use it as leverage to get a few snacks. But they were still his little bros.

Tartaglia closed his eyes momentarily and shook his head. When he opened them again, his expression had morphed into something softer.

“No, I took these from a lawachurl. I will admit, I thought about lying to you about it, but Itto here gave me a well-deserved lecture about how I shouldn’t lie to you. After all, the Great Mujina Youkai is still out there and we wouldn’t want you lowering your guards.”

The trio nodded sagely and turned to Itto. Admiration burned in their eyes, the kind he had grown accustomed to seeing and had missed so much over the past day. Only then did it occur to him that the kids may have never lost their regard for him. Just… extended some of it to another. Some.

“Heh, he says that, but I wouldn’t put it past Tarta-bro here to find the Great Mujina all by himself. You told me yourselves, he’s an expert!” Itto exclaimed, swinging an arm around Tartaglia’s shoulders and almost knocking the ginger down in the process.

“Alright, I think we’ve done plenty and learned enough lessons for today,” Yoimiya said, clapping to get everyone’s attention. “I say we go back to the city and get ourselves a nice round of tricolor dango, how about it?”

The suggestion was met with eager nods from the kids and Itto, which only became more enthusiastic after Tartaglia added, “My treat!”

Itto swung a fist in the air, lifting Tartaglia with one arm for a second before hopping around the kids. “You all heard that, right? His treat. No takebacks!”

“No takebacks! No takebacks!” the children chanted, rushing down the road towards Inazuma City.

For a brief moment, Itto wondered if he should feel bad about financially imposing on this outlander, who surely was not aware that Itto was the holder of the record for eating more tricolor dangos in one minute. He dismissed the thought. That would teach Tartaglia a lesson about better phrasing his promises.

“By the way, Tartaglia, I talked to Ogura Mio about the silks for your sister,” Yoimiya said as they followed the children from a distance. “They should be arriving in two days.”

“Thank you for that, Yoimiya. Now all that is left is finding an onikabuto for Teucer.”

Itto’s ears perked up at this. Yoimiya seemed to have the same thought, for her lips curved into a sly grin.

“Why don’t you let Itto help you with that? He is Inazuma’s most reputed onikabuto coach, after all.”

“That would be ideal…” Tartaglia rubbed a hand on his chin, turning to glance at Itto. “What do you say, Itto? Would you help me get an onikabuto for my little brother? It has to be a very sturdy one to survive the boat trip.”

Itto flashed a bright grin in response. “Bro, you should have told me that sooner! I can get you loads of sturdy onikabuto – heck, your lil’ bro can start his own colony if he wants. Heh, from his interest in these rare Inazuman beetles, I can already see he is a person of taste. We’ll get him the best buggers in the entire country, Tarta-bro.”

The oni’s excitement elicited a laugh from Tartaglia. “Call me Childe. It’s what my friends call me,” he added upon seeing Itto’s confused expression. The explanation only made Itto quirk an eyebrow, though.

“Are you sure they are your friends?”

“It’s ‘Childe’ with an ‘e’ at the end…”

“Erm, sure thing, bro- Bro Childe.”

Itto felt bad for his new homie’s clear struggle with spelling but decided not to correct him. They had already come a long way since that morning and Itto did not want to ruin their progress.

After all, it was not easy being Arataki Itto. But as long as it kept his bros smiling, old and new, he would carry on.

#genshin impact #arataki itto #childe #tartaglia #itto X childe #yoimiya #fanfiction #genshin #writing

3 notes · View notes

captainnameless · 2 years

Note

Daniel's gaze keeps fluttering to Mick as they do their media pen duties. He knows how stressful it is to be faced with the uncertainty of next year in every single interview because, well, he's going through it too. He sees how the boy's smile fades between every interview, he knows how much effort it takes to plant that smile back upon his face before continuing on the line of microphones. That's what has him rushing to check on the boy the second he can, especially when he sees no Seb in sight.

"Danny, 'm scared." Those words aren't new to Daniel - he's used to wrapping his arms around trembling littles as thunder booms; he's used to checking dark closets and threatening to fight any monsters; he's used to whispering reassurances and affirmations after tough races. But he knows the "Same, kid" on the tip of his tongue isn't what Mick's searching for right now.

So instead, he wraps his arms around Mick's shoulders and guides him away from the media personnel with their waiting cameras before the first tears can fall. He feels quite out of his element here, suddenly wishing Sebastian was here to take the lead, but starts off simple and sweet. "Hey Mick, nothing to be afraid of, yeah? It's all going to work out." Daniel isn't even sure he convinces himself with those words as he pulls Mick down onto the sofa with him, a soft smile gracing his face as he feels the younger nuzzle up against his side.

"Daddy won't be here, and I might not be here, and you might not be here-" there's a harsh sob that has Daniel pulling the little impossibly closer, "it's not fair!" That's one statement Daniel could agree with, but instead he tries to prevent the incoming tantrum with a "shhh."

"Lots of changes - that can be scary sometimes, yeah?" And when Mick peeks up to nod at him, Daniel's first instinct is to gently wipe away the tear tracks. "But I promise you, it's going to be okay. Even if we don't have-" Daniel pauses, not really ready to acknowledge a future without this - without the thrill and adrenaline rush of racing - without being readily available for Max, and Lando, and Mick, and all of the littles who have grown familiar with seeking him out for comfort, or jokes, or a playmate - "Even if we're not here next year, we still have each other, yeah? Still going to be cheering you on, no matter where you're at or what you're doing."

Although his eyes are still brimmed with tears, Mick finally smiles, reaching an arm across to give Daniel a side-hug, despite their sitting position. "I still cheer for the honey badger!" Despite the tough start to the race weekend, that's enough to drag a laugh and one of his signature smiles out of Daniel. He pulls the little into his lap, where he can finally wrap both arms around him and give him the real hug he deserves. And when he says, "Thanks bub, this weekend's points will be for you," he's really manifesting points for the both of them.

(hi, yes, i broke my own heart typing this out). - 👻

i am carlos, we are one.

no bc, ouch? and for what.

i’mma put aside the existential crisis this gave me and simply focus on my two faves because we really don’t focus on this pair enough.

Daniel with his easy-going vibe, always up for a laugh and on a personal mission to make sure all his boys smile at least once. And Mick with his lil’ dimples that just beg to poked every time a smile appears and Daniel takes it in like a champagne spray, a reward. They smile, he’s won.

Also Mick is such a grade-A clinger and Daniel’s all about PDA. Always up for a cuddle and when Mick’s in a stroppy mood Daniel’s all “turn that frown upside down” and Mick’s all grumpy lil muffin until Daniel actual grabs him throws him over his shoulder, hands already at his sides teasing the tickles with a “Now that frown is upside down!”

#littlef1adventures #hi 👻 missed ya #why you break me like this tho #👻 anon

5 notes · View notes

masterash · 2 years

Note

🪓🐷🕒

Oh boy let's go. So... first one, was the butcher army justified. That is a difficult question. Funny answer? Absolutely and they should do it again.

Long answer? Depends on context. Now in the SMP as it is absolutely they were justified (doesn't mean that was the best response, but I would do the same). This is based purely on the fact that they did not know Techno was in retirement, or at the very least they could not trust that he would keep his word. Second issue is that also Techno *did* threaten them and said that he would continue to go after them until they didn't have a government (Which as I'll get to in my third response, WAS absolutely necessary for them). And also in this case, L'manberg does not have "due process" or anything resembling it. Meaning they did not need to give Techno a trial, and even if they had it would have been very simple, like what's supposed to happen? "did you blow up L'manberg?" "No" "we literally all saw you do it. " "Okay yeah." However again this is with the Dream SMP as is and in a scenario where L'manberg is bigger and has more influence over a larger group of people, such as citizen aus, while the butcher army is valid? They are in the wrong, we have right to a fair and speedy trial in the United States for a reason, because when a government is big enough then irs impossible to decide "these people don't deserve a trial because they're so bad and these people do". Anyways

Was Techno a good anarchist... that's a tough one. Now I'm not familiar with anarchy beliefs so I can't fully say? However in my limited understanding, no he isn't. The Syndicate as a whole is flawed as they are a group of powerful people trying to promote the idea of... no one should have power over others, by using power. The Syndicate doesn't seem to realize strength can be power, and that governmental power comes from both physical and persuasive power. And they have physical power, and used it in the past to make people do what they want.

And now the exile question... I'm as much of an inniter as anyone, but I fully believe Tubbo was fully in the right to exile Tommy. Tubbo could not know what Tommy would go through, and even if he did he would be justified. He was given an ultimatum by Dream, similar to the trolley problem. Exile Tommy? Or risk the safety of everyone. And yes they could have gone to Techno, but they had no way of knowing if that would work or potentially even be worse. Now this isn't to say Tommy deserved Exile, he didn't. Others had committed similar crimes, and if it had been about the crime itself? Ranboo would have gone as well. It was always about Tubbo being given a lose lose ultimatum by Dream, and Tubbo in that moment had no way to fight back.

#okay whew #that was a lot to write #dsmp #these are my opinions and Im willing to discuss

2 notes · View notes

thryth-gaming · 4 months

Text

Ryoko Saotome for MotW

Okay, to be clear, this is a theory-crafting. Ryoko is a character I have a long history with and it would be better for me to further develop her as a piece of fiction (and have already done so). I might end up doing a character based on her at some point, but I'd likely rename them and take a slightly different tack. Otherwise it would be difficult to work around the pre-existing story she has in my mind.

Okay, so, now on to the particulars, going to avoid going into too much detail but as follows:

Outwardly very friendly and polite with clear anxiety issues and low self-esteem.

Only really happy when witnessing that her loved ones are happy or else she is sparring. Outside those two, she fakes it.

An expert in a martial art based on channeling external energies. Is confident in her abilities but finds her energy control sluggish.

Unknowingly trained in a single technique based on channeling internal energies when she was a child. This is why her control is sluggish. Internal and external practices typically interfere with each other.

The one technique she was trained regarding internal energies is deeply, deeply flawed. You would even say cursed. It converts the negative emotions into energy, but it also causes that emotion to dominate the person's life. She is a "Rider" specifically a "Fear Rider". She doesn't really know much about this, just traumatic memories of the training.

From about 12 years onward she was out of the "care" of her parents. (her father abandoned her because he botched a theft from a secret martial training society).

She learns exceedingly fast.

She was originally a character in a 3-year PbP freeform Ranma 1/2 next gen game. She's built as Ranma's much younger sister, but similarly abused by her parents.

She was later a main character in a Ranma/Naruto crossover fanfic written primarily as an exercise to develop her character further.

Outward personality would peg Ryoko as The Mundane which is by design a bit. Most people would overlook her as a threat and to be honest, unless you threaten someone, she's more likely to fight you to surrender or defeat and non-lethally as long as she's not been triggered.

However, she's very much a dangerous foe. Monstrous is a possibility, but that feels more like a later step in her story. At start, it doesn't have as much of a hold on her.

The Initiate is a possibility but my idea is that she didn't really get assimilated into the society that took her and her sister in. Her sister would be a more likely candidate for the Initiate. The idea was that the society/ninjas left her to self train because they realized she was skilled enough to do so and also was steeped in the wrong style of martial art (external vs internal) so they couldn't teach her.

The Wronged comes to mind, but she hasn't even processed fully that her parents deserve justice or vengeance.

While the Chosen and the Divine are very melee and tough oriented. Their stories aren't nearly right for this.

Exile isn't bad, she isn't ACTUALLY from another time, but she has been sheltered from normal life. But the story isn't about a nemesis or the impact one had on the world.

So, what I'm going to come down to is Hard Case.

Hard Knocks is Secret Martial Art obviously.

For moves. Let's see

Furnace. This is basic to all Hard Cases.

Weapon Master. Because she's a skilled martial artist.

Stone Cold. Yes, fear dominates her life, but because of the Rider technique, she remains tactically competent.

For rating line. This is hard. She's friendly, but often overlooked and not taken seriously because of her anxiety issues. So, Charm can be low.

Weird can be low even though she is technically skilled due to the conflict between the two active styles of magic in her. The idea would be that after learning about the mix, she would learn to balance them, and the Weird would go up.

Cool, despite her anxiety, would be okay because again, it doesn't usually affect her in a tactical situation.

Tough is always going to be high.

Sharp should also be decent, because she is very smart and observant, even if she's hesitant to speak up about what she sees. With that, I think I'm going for the first rating line.

Charm -1

Cool +1

Sharp +1

Tough +2

Weird +0

Weird Move is No Limits because she is primarily about enhanced physical ability. Her baseline is above human do to the magic in her system.

Her ally could be her younger sister, but I think instead it might be better to be one of the mystics/ninjas/whatever that took them in and took care of them until she was 18.

Gear, Ancient Sword comes with Secret Martial Art. First divergence from the baseline. Ryoko was specifically not skilled with swords because she was never properly trained. MotW doesn't really allow for this too much... but it would probably be used as an explanation for poor rolls. She DID have a bokken (wooden training sword) that I could reflavor the Ancient Sword into, but the crowbar with Innocuous works better for that. I think I'll leave this as an actual magical sword she hasn't felt worthy of using yet.

Other choices:

Bokken (Crowbar)

Big Knife

Ignoring the vehicle section

Thinking "Old monster hunting journals" which I'm replacing with novels and manga. Because she enjoys them and is able to draw useful insights from such things.

Eventually I'd use "Borrow a move from another playbook" to grab Preternatural Speed - because Ranma and Naruto roof-hopping shenanigans. Probably early.

Possibly I'd borrow "Breed" as well, which Michael Sands confirms can be borrowed. To get both a Curse and a Natural Attack, about when I wanted her curse to go into high drive. Alternately, I'd just go into Monstrous, but this lets me ease into that. Claws of the Beast might be another way to do that. And Invincible might be a good way to represent how agile a Ranma-esque martial artist is.

So, the final starting character looks like this:

Charm -1

Cool +1

Sharp +1

Tough +2

Weird +0

Moves: No Limits, Furnace, Secret Martial Art, Weapon Master, Stone Cold

Gear: Ancient Sword (2-harm hand balanced valuable holy), Bokken (2-harm hand messy innocuous), Big Knife (1-harm hand), Action/Adventure Novels and Manga

#monster of the week #ttrpg #roleplaying games #urban fantasy #rpg #Ranma 1/2 #Naruto #Fanfic #Theory-Crafting

1 note · View note

marjaystuff · 1 year

Text

Lisa Childs Interview

“The Hot Shot Series” by Lisa Childs is a two for one. There are two mysteries in each book. A threat against the hero and heroine involving their personal life, and an overriding arc that has someone sabotaging the team. Although the books are in a series, there is sufficient information given in each book that allows each to be read as a standalone. The novels have great banter, murder, deception, and some romance. There is non-stop action with one threat after another.

The latest book, Hotshot Hero in Disguise, starts out with a bang as a stove explodes setting fire to Hotshot Ethan Sommerly’s beard and hair. He is injured and taken to the hospital, where he finds out that his long hair and bushy beard have protected his face from severe burns, but now he must trim and shave them because of the burns. He goes to the beauty salon owned by Tammy Ingles who realizes after completing her work that he has been hiding his identity. Not only does the attraction between them heat up but also the threats. There are several prime candidates, and the tension ramps up as Ethan and the others try to figure out who is involved.

The book before this one, Hotshot Heroes Under Threat, has another team member being threatened, Patrick (Trick) McRooney. He was assigned to go undercover and investigate why all these “accidents” were happening to the team. No one knows if the threats are against him or the team. One of the firefighters, Henrietta (Hank) Rowlins is also being threatened. People are wondering if the assailant wants Hank dead, Trick dead, or the team dead? It seems every time Hank and trick are together, their lives are threatened. Even though there is a major attraction between them each tries to stay apart to prevent the other from being hurt, literally and figuratively.

What makes the stories heartfelt is how each member of the team eventually has each other’s back. The suspense of the story will have readers turning the pages, wondering how the danger will be stopped.

Elise Cooper: How did you get the idea for the series?

Lisa Childs: While in college my husband worked for the US Forest Department. He had gone out to fight wildfires. When I started the series, my editor told me to make the heroes “hot shot firefighters.” I went from there. It started as four books, but there will be twelve total books in the series.

EC: The last two Hotshot books have similar relationships?

LC: Yes, both heroes tried to have a hands-off attitude toward the heroines because they did not want to endanger her. They are protectors, a part of their personality to save and help people.

EC: In your latest Hotshot book, Hero in Disguise, how would you describe Ethan Sommerly?

LC: He is mysterious, very quiet, and hides behind his big beard and bushy hair. He is a loner with big secrets.

EC: What about the heroine, Tammy Ingles?

LC: She is everybody’s friend, loved by everyone. She is very supportive, blunt, funny, quick-witted, and likes to be in control of her own life.

EC: What about the relationship?

LC: Although Tammy is not looking for love, she is intrigued with Ethan. She enjoys flirting and teasing Ethan to see him get flustered. There has always been an attraction between them.

EC: Is the heroine in the book before this one, Hotshot Heroes Under Threat, Henrietta (Hank) Rowlins, like Tammy?

LC: No, she is very much different. She has flourished in a male dominated career, especially as a Hotshot. She is very tough, physical, and brave.

EC: What about the hero in Under Threat, Patrick (trick) McRooney?

LC: At first, he is resented by the rest of the team since he took the place of their beloved Hotshot teammate who died. Plus, he is also the boss’s brother-in-law, so people feel there was nepotism involved. He needs to prove himself, that he deserves to be there. Trick also has abandonment issues because his mother took off when he was young.

EC: What about the relationship between Hank and Trick?

LC: Hank is vulnerable and mistrusting. They dance around their attraction, partly because of the rule there can be no fraternization among teammates.

EC: Next books?

LC: Book 9 of this series comes out in December and is titled, Hotshot Heroes for the Holiday and is Trent Miles story with a new heroine, a detective from Detroit.

Book 10 comes out in May 2024 with the hero Rory Van Dam and the heroine, reporter Brittany Townsend.

Book 11 comes out in July 2024 with heroine Hotshot Michaela Momber and the hero, the owner of the bar. This is my 100th book for Harlequin Publishers.

Book 12 comes out in October 2024 with heroine trooper Wyonna Wells.

I also write a bunch of different series, “Bachelor Cowboys” and “Bachelor Bodyguards.” A Cowboys Justice is a Cold Case Suspense novel coming out this April, and the next Bachelor Cowboy book comes out in June, Firefighters Family Secret.

Baby Rescue Mission comes out in September with the heroine a Child Protective Services investigator.

The “Bane Island Series” is with a different publisher, Kensington. It is a thriller. A former psychiatric hospital has been converted to a posh spa, but bodies start piling up. The final one in the series is out this October. There is a rivalry between the local sheriff and the guy who owns the spa. There is a lot of conflict

THANK YOU!!

0 notes

rolling-restart · 1 year

Note

🕊️ - for me it’s about Toto using Nico’s reaction to the abuse as a way to justify the abuse. Sort of like a “well if you hadn’t hit me then I would have had to slap you back now, would I?” even if he was the one to make it physical first. I think maybe he expected Nico to be an easy target, but I don’t see Nico as this naive victim who would just let himself be moulded into this perfect docile toy for Toto to play with. He’s grown up surrounded by rich powerful men in Monaco and in motorsport in general, he understands the concept of power dynamics and doesn’t immediately just let himself become the subordinate in the relationship. He’s bratty and he’ll tell Toto no and for Toto that’s a foreign reaction because he’s used to being a man of status who only ever hears ‘yes sir’ to his requests, so for him maybe he sees Nico as a challenge, a tough nut that he’s sure he’ll crack eventually.

However the thing with Nico fighting back is that yes he’s hitting Toto back, but it will never have the same power that Toto has over Nico. Physically speaking of course, Nico can’t overpower Toto and he probably couldn’t actually hit him hard enough to hurt Toto, but it’s not about hurting Toto it’s about establishing himself in this relationship and refusing to just fall submissive to Toto. But it’s not just physical power, it’s emotional power because Nico doesn’t have the ability to instil fear in Toto like the older man can with him because even though he can hit Toto back, Toto could cause Nico genuine harm that Nico can’t cause Toto so it’s this imbalance in power again because Toto has this ability to create genuine fear, even if Nico hides it by fighting back. Toto would never fear for his life when Nico’s fighting back, but you can’t say the same for Nico who knows that Toto could probably kill him if he really wanted to.

I think Nico was definitely much more of a challenge than George is, but it doesn’t mean Toto wouldn’t just go to even further lengths to finally wear Nico down, until he realises that Nico’s slipped out of his grasp and he’ll never be able to have that power over him again and he’d learn from his mistakes and not even give George a chance to hit him back like Nico did.

Now now 🕊️ anon, this is very interesting

Your take on dominance in the relationship is absolutely right. Nico just tries to preserve his dignity in this situation but it is not easy. He can fight Toto physically but after he deliberately lost muscle to get lighter for the 2016 season, he couldn’t do that efficiently either. Nico knows he doesn't scare Toto as much as Toto scared him and during their fights, which is something Toto and George never have, Toto often threatens him with his life. Nico likes the wild ride but the constant fight or flight is just so tiring. And after he became too weak to defend himself, maybe he sees the true extent of Toto’s violence.

It’s true that George never reacts to physical abuse like Nico did, maybe by nature maybe Toto deterred him with a very violent act. Essentially, George regards Toto as a force of nature, unstoppable and honestly, shouldn’t be stopped. George genuinely believes he deserves what he gets and this kills his self-preservation instincts. He also has no hope of getting out of this relationship so he rarely tries to resist.

Realistically, I am planning at least one more terrible horrible chapter and I don’t even know how to put disclaimers anymore because nothing feels enough. I know everyone is responsible for their own media consumption but as a person who always consumes media that triggers her, I am a tiny bit worried.

Thanks a lot, anon!!

#desecration: gr/tw fic #answered asks #nr #tw #gr

1 note · View note

im-a-slut-for-fluff · 2 years

Text

It’s called a sour jar Buck

Not my gif

Last short fic from my witchy!reader stories! All others are posted! They can be read separately. I wrote this on my phone so I apologize for any mistakes. This one is my favorite! Enjoy!

Warnings: curse words?

Bucky x reader

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

It was a quiet evening. No one had anything to do. No bad guys making big moves. No apocalyptic events. These days are few and far between so the team took it upon themselves to have a relaxation day. Even steve let everyone out of training early.

The majority of them were sprawled across the sofas in the common room, lounging about and silently entertaining themselves. Well remember when I said it was a quiet evening? Key word being WAS here.

A loud slam from the kitchen jolted everyone from their own little worlds. “What is that?” Nat asked. Everyone shook their heads also wondering if they should get in fight mode. The slams became louder and louder along with some grumbled curse words.

“Is.. Is that y/n?“ Tony asked. It couldn’t be y/n could it? Their own resident sunshine that was always butterflies and rainbows. They all looked around at each other gazes landing on a wincing Bucky. Those gazes quickly turned accusatory.

“Oh god what did you do?” Wanda whisper yelled, her eyes flickering a tiny bit of red. If y/n was mad it has to have been something bad “I swear it was an accident! Honestly I-“ he was cut off by a particularly loud slam followed by a groan of annoyance and a “Men are so stupid I swear to god!”

Steve stood up and put his hands on his hips in that classic captain dad pose. “Alright Buck. What did you do to make her so mad?” Bucky sighs and in a very guilty voice admits “Okay I may have… called one of the new agents Doll.” He cringes after admitting it out loud.

“Please tell me it wasn’t the one that flirts with you.” Tony says as he rubs a hand down his face because he can just tell what the answer is gonna be and it’s gonna give him a headache.

Bucky answers with a very ashamed “yes” An uproar of “you idiot” and “I can’t believe you!” And wait did someone just ask Friday for the new agents address?

Wanda stands up eyes now definitely glowing red along with her hands. “Barnes! you absolute ass! Im gonna kill you!” She takes a threatening step forward and Bucky Barnes is a tough man okay. He’s been through a lot and made it out semi okay but a fight with Wanda? He’s still just human so no one can really blame him for shrinking back in his seat and the look of pure fear on his face at the thought of getting tossed around by the angry witch.

Luckily vision steps in front of her quickly with a placating hand on her shoulder. “Wanda honey, don’t you think our priority should be to check on y/n first? She does not seem stable.” And Wanda clearly had an internal battle of deciding whether to choke the life out of Bucky or check on her dear friend. Fortunately for Bucky, she chose the latter.

Everyone made their way towards the kitchen preparing for they don’t even know what. Y/n has never been like this before. With Steve at the lead he got the first glimpse and let out an “oh dear god” which only further worried everyone else making them push forward to see what was happening.

Of all the things they expected to see it definitely was not this. There y/n was stomping around the kitchen. Was she cooking? They surveyed the kitchen counter looking at the mess. Vinegar, hot sauce, garlic, lemon juice, rusty nails? And a paper that clearly has JAMES BUCHANAN BARNES written on it.

They all stayed silent for a second confused as to what was happening as y/n continued cursing under her breath. Then all of a sudden Tony and Wanda made eye contact and started laughing. Which in turn startled y/n not know she had gained an audience until then.

“Oh man, you are in such big trouble.” Tony said looking at Bucky. Then turning to y/n who now had pure rage on her face noticing Bucky was there as well. “Please continue sweetheart! He deserves it.” Tony added as he continued to laugh and waltzed out of the kitchen.

Wanda shouldered past Bucky as well who to be honest looked like a lost puppy right now, “guess I don’t need to kick your ass Barnes, she has it covered.” Flashing him a toothy grin she grabbed a hold of vision and left the kitchen as well.

Y/n went back to slamming her ingredients around as Bucky, Steve and Nat stood there watching. A look of realization crossed Natasha’s features and she too started to chuckle. Buckys frown deepened once again and Steve returned to that captain dad pose directed at Nat. “Okay can someone please explain what is going on? What is so funny? because I’m not getting it.” He huffed.

For the first time y/n spoke up “Yeah Boinky. Why don’t you explain what you did huh?” She yelled. “I already told them and it was an accident I swear! It just slipped out! Please don’t call me Boinky that’s what Sam calls me!” He said in the whiniest voice you would definitely not expect to hear come out of the winter soldier mouth.

Steve once again looked at Nat with that scolding gaze to tell her he’s still waiting for an explanation. Nat rolls her eyes and sighs “she’s making a sour jar. Its pretty self explanatory, it’s revenge for what he did. Get ready for some bad luck barnes! You totally do deserve it.” With a slap to the boys back and a devilish smirk that gave Steve the inkling she still knew something he didn’t, she turns to vacate the room leaving a very angry y/n, a very tired Steve and a very sad Bucky behind.

Steve heavily sighs and starts walking toward y/n with his palms up and arms out like one would when they come across a feral animal.

“Hey, pretty girl. You think we could all talk and calm down? Maybe step away from the rusty nails?” Steve said giving her that gentle smile. Which earned him a indigent huff from Bucky at the choice of nickname he used. She softened slightly because let’s be honest who can say no to Steve Rogers when he uses those baby blues?

“He called her doll steve! DOLL! That’s my name!” She yelled. Though the anger was quickly being replaced with sadness if the quiver of her lip and the crack in her voice was anything to go by. This prompted Steve to step forward and comfort her in a hug. “I know he did y/n/n, but he said he didn’t mean it. Accidents happen right? You know he loves you so so much right?”

Bucky stepped forward itching to hold her but understanding he’s the cause of her state. “I really didn’t mean to baby. I swear on everything I didn’t mean it! I was thinking about you all day and it just slipped out I promise, I don’t even remember her name! You can make a thousand acid jars I don’t care, I just want you.” He pleads with tears forming in his own eyes.

Steve looks back at him and oh so helpfully informs him “it’s called a sour jar Buck.” Bucky huffs not impressed with his best friend at the moment but then he hears a small muffled giggle. And man is that music to his ears. The sweetest sound he’s ever heard. He can’t help but smile even if the joke was at his expense.

Y/n slowly unravels herself from Steve and walks closer to Bucky. “You promise I’m your only doll? That I’m your best girl?” Finally looking into his eyes. Bucky smiles “You’re my only girl doll” they smile at each other and are just about to lean in for a kiss when Tony glides back into the room.

“Sorry to break up the moment kids but Friday just informed me she “accidentally” gave Romanoff that new agents address. And uh, well I looked at camera footage and she just left the armory suited up.”

I guess the avengers don’t know how to do quiet evenings.

Thank you for reading!

#bucky x reader #steve rogers #bucky barnes #avengers fic #avengers x reader #bucky x y/n #bucky barnes x reader #bucky fic #marvel x reader #the avengers #natasha romanoff #tony stark #wanda maximoff #vison

93 notes · View notes

artzee-bee · 3 years

Text

You love me? | Lucifer Morningstar x reader

Fandom: Lucifer (Netflix)

Request: “ I was wondering if I could make a request where the reader is Lucifers best friend and can always cheer him up. One day (maybe after something with his brother happens) he is really upset and no one can communicate with him so the reader comes over worried sick. I thought that maybe they could have a moment after but that’s entirely up to you if you would like to write this! If you are uncomfortable or you just don’t want to write this let me know! “

Genre: a good chuck on angst but fluffy ending

Warings: nothing besides some arguing

A/N: This turned out very differently than what I was initially going for but I hope it’s somewhat good

~~~

You were more than aware of how everyone saw Lucifer: eccentric, sarcastic, over the top, at times an insufferable ass. You couldn't exactly disagree with any of those, but somehow you and the handsome gentleman got to be an inseparable duo.

You met him at Lux while out with your friends. His good looks caught the eye of mostly everyone inside the club, you included. He was attractive but you were stubborn. You weren't going to go out of your way just to talk to him, no way! Plus, you weren't exactly looking for a relationship or anything like that, so what was the point? You were only there for the drinks and the dancing, except you ended up being quite disappointed in the drinks department. The barman was slow and alcohol was a lot more expensive than you were anticipating.

You were waiting for your drink when he approached you. He was trying to get away from a girl that was freaking him out. He made a comment about being “so irresistible” and you replied with a joke about the crappy alcohol. One thing led to another and before you knew it, you had been chatting with him for hours!! Your friends had gotten sick of waiting around for you to be done with your new pal, and left early, not that you minded much. You knew they were probably under the impression that you were trying to get in bed with him and they were mostly excited about how well it was going for you, so they weren’t mad and you were enjoying yourself.

After that night, you and Lucifer became more or less inseparable. Almost every night was now spent either at Lux or in his penthouse, chatting and drinking liquor. Lucifer would visit you at work every now and then, when a case he was working on would get on his nerves. He would sometimes drag you to the station to “keep him company”. You were, in other words, his moral support.

This position came with a lot of wild adventures and incredible stories, but also with a lot of difficulties. Lucifer wasn’t the easiest to talk to when his emotions got the best of him. He had a tendency to shut down and avoid real life at all costs. You’ve been with him through that many times before and you were convinced that there was nothing he could do to shock you anymore.

Late in the evening, you got a call from Mazikeen. She was fuming and screaming over the phone about how Lucifer was in a mood and he went off on her for no reason and that you better get to him and figure it out because she was over it. You’ve received many phone calls like this, so you weren’t alarmed but as soon as you entered the penthouse and saw the mess that was covering every square inch of the place, you began to question your judgement.

“Lucifer?” you asked but he didn’t reply. You called out to him a couple more times, until you finally found him tightly tucked in bed.

“Luci?”

“Yeah…” his voice was muffled by the blanket and his eyes were shut

“What’s going on?”

“Nothing at all darling, I was just going to sleep”

“It’s 8 pm”

“Yeah, well, tough day at the station today. Not easy solving crime, you know?” “Oh really?” you questioned, to which Lucifer nodded slightly “Funny thing, I talked to Decker not too long ago actually. She hasn’t seen you all day.” Lucifer’s eyes stayed shut

“Don’t lie to me Lucifer” finally, you got his attention. He stood up with an exhausted sigh and rested against the bed frame

“What happened?”

“It’s just...Amenadiel…”

“What about him?”

“Always so curious, aren’t we Y/N?” he got up from the bed and headed towards the bar in the main area with you following close behind

“I’m trying to help you” “I don’t recall ever asking for it” his tone was harsh, but you’ve heard worse from him

“That never stopped me before”

“It never does any good either and yet here you are”

“Yes it does, you always tell me I’m a huge help” Lucifer frowned at your words, knowing full well you were right. He poured himself a drink, choosing to stay silent “I can’t help you unless you tell me what’s bothering you”

“It’s a fight between brothers, just like many others we’ve had before and we’ll keep on having for the rest of eternity probably”

“You’re really bothered by it”

“I am not!” his tone was firm. For just a second his eyes flashed red.

“It’s ok to feel upset”

“I am not upset!” he screamed, his face all of a sudden red and hot. His devil face. Blood red eyes piercing your soul, a threatening smile displayed his sharp, yellow teeth . You’ve seen this side of him before. You could say you were even somewhat accustomed to it, except you've never seen him do this. Use it as a weapon against you. To threaten you, to push you away. That, more than anything, was what scared you. You’ve seen him so angry at times and yet not once did he change out of rage. You stepped back, almost tripping and falling back in the bed but Lucifer reached out and caught your hand. He held it softly, as if you were made of sand. As if you would slip from his grip any second

“Y/N?” when you looked back up to him, his face was back to normal “Y/N, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to, I mean, I didn’t realise I-”

“I’m just trying to be a good friend Lucifer”

“I know you are”

“I didn’t deserve that Lucifer” his eyes were full of sorrow and regret. You could see tears threatening to spill and you almost felt this man crumble in the palm of your hand. You pulled him into a tight hug and as soon as your arms went around his waist, Lucifer nuzzled his face in your hair and began to sob

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you, I didn’t mean to do that…”

“It’s ok Luci”

“You didn’t deserve that”

“Yes but you’ve apologised, I forgive you. Everything is ok” Lucifer pulled away slightly, just enough so he could look into your eyes without leaving your embrace. His face was red and stained with tears.

“How do you do that? How can you always forgive so easily?” he asked as you wiped away some of the tears with the sleeve of your shirt

“Well, with you it’s quite easy. I care too much about you to stay mad.” Lucifer rolled his eyes, as if he didn’t believe you “Plus, I know you. You are kind and caring and would never do anything to hurt me. You have a hard time managing your anger sometimes, sure, but you are working to improve.” You cupped his face with your left hand and Lucifer immediately leaned into your touch

“I’m doing my best.” he said

“And I’ll be here for you. No matter how much you dislike it sometimes!” you giggled, but than Lucifer whispered something in your palm

“I love you.”

“I love you too, Luci.”

“No, I love you Y/N” he took a step back as he said that, the closeness between you two suddenly too much to bear. You looked at him with glossy eyes, scanning his features as if you weren’t sure you heard him right and each look made Lucifer want to crawl back into the pits of hell because he was not worthy of you and he knew that.

“I’m sorry, it wasn’t the right moment, I should have just-”

“Lucifer” your voice was warm and welcoming which only made the devil feel worse. You were trying to reject him nicely, he just knew it!

“Yes?”

“You love me?” when he didn’t reply, you took a step closer, asking him again “Are you in love with me Lucifer?”

“Yes” he was crumbling once again under you. He was the devil and he’s known no weakness but somehow, someway, you managed to bring him to his knees with a single glance and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Did I get the devil to fall in love with me?”

“Perhaps..” you looked him in the eyes. You were once again standing close to him and Lucifer felt weak

“Good” you said, before grabbing onto the collar of his shirt and placing your lips on his, kissing him hard. Lucifer didn’t realise at first what you did, boldness wasn’t exactly your thing, but then, almost naturally, his arms went around your waist, pulling you into him. He felt his worries and tears fade away with every second that he felt your lips on his. He swore in that moment that no matter what, he would never ever push you away again. You were way too important!

#lucifer netflix #lucifer morningstar #lucifer morningstar x reader #lucifer morningstar imagine #lucifer morningstar angst #lucifer morningstar fluff

785 notes · View notes

taechaos · 3 years

Text

Blackmail

pairing: bully!Jungkook x nerdy!fem!Reader

genre: drabble, smut, college au

synopsis: Jimin offers you information on Jungkook, but your friendship is misconstrued by Jungkook who ends it singlehandedly with one video of you professing your love to him between moans.

warnings: dubcon, fingering, degredation, mild squirting, manipulation

word count: 2.8k

a/n: jealous kook doesn't realize he's jealous. this part is a bit extreme, so beware ><

One doesn't come across someone like Jungkook every day. It's fate that you met him in your first year of college, extending to your second where he grows closer to you; fair, it's clear that he only intends to use you for his academic success, but you've deluded yourself into thinking you're in love with each other. Growing up, you only had your dysfunctional family to teach you about how to love, how to think. As long as Jungkook needs you, he will love you, and you’re willing to do anything to be with him, only him. You need him to live.

Birds sing in the background as you lay on your stomach on the grass of the yard across the campus. It’s sunny and breezy, the perfect spring day as you work on Jungkook’s research paper due next month. You compiled multiple credible sources in a separate file to create an outline for his essay the moment he forwarded the assignment to you. You want him to praise you, pet your hair, kiss your cheek for starting so early so he can turn it in before anyone else. He would be proud, flashing you his pearly whites and adoring eyes. The reward motivates you to work harder and you’re relentlessly skimming through articles while counting down the minutes of Jungkook's lecture. He'll be outside with his friends in 7 minutes.

With a bad childhood, you don’t care to befriend many people. You only have a few friends to keep you company and you’re socially awkward outside of that group. You’re content, so you steer clear of boys who try to sabotage your relationship with Jungkook. Jimin, however, doesn’t get the memo.

Typing away on your laptop, a shadow looms over you to give you a break from the sunlight. You glance up and stop swinging your legs absentmindedly when you recognize the shadow; it’s a boy with frames and a tight collar adorning his neck.

Park Jimin is a typical nerd whereas you’re more of a closeted nerd. When you’re in love, you usually put more effort into your appearance to impress the one on your mind, but that doesn’t work with Jungkook. It’s always other men giving you their attention through second glances, and that includes Jimin.

“What do you want?” you rudely greet. Jimin is ruthless with his attempts at pursuing you; he’s the perfect gentleman, and often volunteers to do group tasks with you. He is never mean to anyone, and has a squeaky clean reputation, but his only flaw is that he can’t take a hint. You don't bother being friendly to him because you don't want friends.

"I want to know why you look so happy," he bends over to curiously glance at your screen, "while doing homework?"

You slam the monitor closed to stop his ogling. "You wouldn't get it. And stop watching me," you sternly say.

"What's your secret?" he grins and sits down on the grass next to you with crossed legs. His upper body serves as a shade and you stop squinting.

"There is no secret, I was just in a good mood until you came along." You're not upset, but you don't want to lead Jimin on and he won't leave unless you blow him off.

"Thinking of Jungkook?" he teases with a mischievous smile.

"Are you stalking me?"

"No, you're just too obvious," he chuckles, but the sound is strained. You don't notice his melancholy as he continues, "You were doing his homework again?"

You shift on your propped elbows a little uncomfortably. Jimin doesn't need to know what you do in your free time. "Yes," you answer anyway.

"You know he has daddy issues?"

Your eyes round as your discomfort dissipates instantly; he's piqued your interest. "Really?"

"Yeah, he has a tough exterior but he's actually a real softie."

An involuntary smile carves on your face before it falters as you ask, "How do you know this?"

"We went to high school together. I can tell you some stories if you want," he boasts when he realizes he has your attention. The context makes his heart sink, but when he imagines your lovesick grin is directed at him, it fills him with joy.

"Tell me, tell me! Please."

"Weeell," he draws with a lopsided grin, "don't tell him I told you this, but he used to hate girls. I don't know if he still does, but back then he couldn't even stand talking to a girl."

"Why?" your eyes are wide with interest as you whisper.

He shrugs, "No idea, but he hit a girl once when she wouldn't stop clinging onto him. Not like drop-kick her," he laughs, "he just shoved her on the ground. Be careful with him, okay? He can be very aggres-"

"You guys forming a nerd club now?"

You gasp when you hear Jungkook's voice. When you look up at him, he's almost glaring as his eyes flicker from you to Jimin. You're gleeful at his approach, because he never comes to you unless it's about a new assignment. It flutters your heart to see him without any papers in his hand.

You don't take his subtle insult to heart as you immediately respond, "No, we were just talking. H-Hi."

"Pull down your skirt, you look like a whore. I can see your panties all the way from the gates," he seethes in distaste. You instantly sit up with a blush and tug your skirt down to your knees. He looks back at Jimin who's glaring at him under his lashes, "The fuck's your deal?"

"Nothing," Jimin grits. Although he hates Jungkook's guts, he's too smart to fight a lost cause. He has his own set of muscles, but it isn't enough. It's best to accept defeat now.

"Did you start on the paper?" Jungkook asks you.

"Yes, I-"

"Good," he cuts you off and crouches to peck your lips by pulling the back of your neck. You're stunned when he pulls away and nonchalantly walks off to his friends.

Jimin follows him with his eyes and mutters under his breath, "douche."

Your heart is racing and you clamp a hand over your chest as a lovestruck smile spreads across your face. You know this is your end of the bargain, but it never fails to shrivel you up in delight.

"Are you two dating?" he mumbles as he pulls on the grass with a pout.

"Something like that," you exhale as you caress your lips.

It’s become routine to link up with Jimin where he reminisces his high school memories and you don’t doubt a single word he says unless it sheds a bad light on Jungkook. You’ve learned so much about him in the past few days, and you’re eager to know more. He likes energy drinks to this day, he was athletic in school and often got into fights. He began interacting with girls when he entered college, as Jimin says, “only for a quick fuck.”

Though it hurts Jimin that you only talk to him for information on Jungkook, he can’t bring himself to care when you hang onto every word he says with a glint in your eyes like you’re doing now.

You're sitting in the bustling cafeteria across from Jimin, sipping on a homemade strawberry lemonade from your thermos, and you don't notice Jungkook glancing at your table every now and then. It is the first time he doesn't feel your heavy gaze on him. Jimin does notice however, because he is facing him every time he receives a threatening ferile look.

"He could become a lawyer with how much he blackmailed the teachers to give him a good grade," Jimin tells you as he glances back and forth between you and Jungkook. "He's quite dangerous, you know. He's manipulative, a liar and has no empathy-"

"He's clever," you counter defensively, "he knows how to get around the system."

He makes a disgruntled noise from the back of his throat with a grimace. "I don't think the judge would listen to that."

You laugh at his comparison of the conversation to a court hearing. Jimin can be funny sometimes, and you have to admit that he's not that bad of a friend either. You've come to enjoy his company without the topic of Jungkook the past few days, but talking about him is always appreciated.

"Are you the judge then?" you cheekily ask.

"I might as well be, since I'm not biased like a certain someone," he teases with a grin.

"A lawyer has to see the bright side of things, but if I was the prosecutor, I wouldn't tell you that your lecture is in five minutes."

His smile falters as his eyes widen; you remember his schedule? He ran late for a lecture yesterday, but he’s in disbelief that you reminded him today. "Th-Thanks," he breathes as he packs up his belongings before giving you a curt, shy nod. His heart pounds when he walks away, and he resists the urge to look back at you.

It's a good idea, because that's when Jungkook settles down on his former seat.

"I'm thinking you might be forgetting who you belong to," he starts as he gets comfortable on the stiff chair. You instantly smile at his appearance.

"No, I'm very well aware of it." Your tone is high-pitched in excitement.

"It wasn't a question."

"Oh..."

“You talk more than you work,” he observes with a quirk of his brow. “One would think another nerd would be a better influence on you.”

“I work at night,” you defend worriedly, “I promise I’m not slacking off. Can I get a kiss please?”

You’re so adorable when you’re needy. He hides a smirk with a bite of his lip; he thrives from your loyalty to him, but he knows Jimin is a threat to it. He wants you to stop talking to that freak, and he justifies it as a concern for his grades. “I’ll kiss you when you’re not procrastinating. Do you think you deserve even a pat on the head?”

“I do! I’m halfway done with the research paper, please Jungkook,” you beg pathetically, “I-I’ll show it to you, I have it with me right now.” You start unzipping the case of your laptop until he holds up a hand for you to stop.

“You’re going to read it to me, but not here.”

When he stands up, so do you in a haste. He leaves the cafeteria with you hot on his tail, almost jogging when his strides are much bigger compared to yours. You resemble a clueless lamb following a lion, desperate to hold his claws with your hooves. You don’t know where he’s leading you as you walk down the halls until you stop in front of a door. You’re about to freak out when he swings open the door, but you realize the lecture room is empty.

“You want me to read here?” you inquire meekly. It’s a little intimidating to do it in complete silence, because you have a tendency to stutter when reading out loud and you don’t want to embarrass yourself in front of Jungkook where no one can talk over you.

“Yup.” He snatches your laptop case from your hand with the handle, and roughly opens it before placing the device on the front row wooden desk. It’s a large hall, and the desks stretch out to the half of the room. You’re feeling stage fright for no particular reason; it feels like reverse claustrophobia. “Open the document and give me your phone.”

You don’t question him and hand in your phone before going through your files on the laptop. Jungkook is looking through your contacts and grins when he finds himself saved as: the love of my life ♡. Jimin is saved by his name, and he finds his WhatsApp through his information below. Once he opens your empty chat with him, he switches to your camera and pushes your back so you’re bent over the desk. You sharply inhale and ask, “Kook?”

“Don’t get distracted now,” he lightly scolds and starts pulling down your pants. You stopped wearing skirts after the incident a week ago to appease him. You stammer with your back arched, and your ass is on full display for him. It’s humiliating. “Start reading.”

“H-Humans are- Jungkook?” you warily look back at Jungkook when he slides the slit of your panties to the side.

“Are you slacking off?” he condescends.

You bite your lip anxiously and continue reading, “Humans are social animals that n-need social interaction,” Jungkook spits in his hand, “the extent of our social relationships is the most important predictor of h-happiness.” You squeal when you feel wet fingers graze your folds, but you know better than to stop and ask what he’s doing.

“Continue,” he coaxes softly as he brushes his fingertips over your pussy lips.

“Um, o-one of the main reasons our brains have developed the way they have is so that we can be social,” you speak between shaky breaths. Your cheeks are tinted crimson with embarrassment from his touches; why is he pleasuring you when he specifically told you, you didn’t deserve any? “Being happy a-all of the time is neither possible nor desirable.”

“Is it now?” He slips a finger in your cunt and you involuntarily let out a cry as you push your body forward. You don’t notice him holding up your phone behind you while slowly sliding his finger in and out of you. His saliva is mixing with your arousal as you answer in a gasp, “Yes.”

“Tell me why.”

“B-Because negative feelings are natural. When it comes to negative feelings, the most important thing to remember is to learn,” you pause to exhale with quivering lips, “to control certain potentially harmful thoughts.” You whine his name when another finger is added to your heat. You’re moving your hips back and forth until he slaps your wet folds as a warning. “Sorry,” you peep and continue in a breath, “Happiness all of the time entails epistemic irrationality.”

It’s difficult to keep your eyes open when you just want to indulge in his thrusts, but you’re encouraged to stop reading when he doesn’t comment on your moans. His pace is quickening and you chase his fingers with your hips, cum dripping down his wrist as you mewl.

“You enjoying yourself, whore?”

You nod and whimper, “So much.” You’re clutching the edge of the desk as he fingers you with fervor.

“And you're my girl?”

“Yes, all yours, I love you so much,” you pant, not stopping for a moment to question his words. He has a full view of your sopping wet cunt on the camera, and he lightly blows on you, making you shiver. He’s recording you confess your love for him while getting fingered.

“Only me?” he presses.

“Only you, Jungkook, I love you more than anything,” you slur as you start to feel a knot in your stomach.

“Then pee.”

“Wh-What?”

“Touch your clit and pee.” He removes his fingers from your clenching hole and takes a step back. “Prove your love to me.”

You mourn the loss of his hand while staring wide-eyed at the floor. You’re contemplating his demand as your hand slowly reaches down to your clit. Is he asking you to squirt? Your breathing is shallow as you near your climax, and you still don’t know if you’ll go through with his requirement.

It drips out in tiny drops as you come undone, moaning as clear liquid spills out of you for only a few seconds.

“Good girl, my good little girl,” Jungkook whispers as he intently watches you humiliate yourself in the name of love. You’re twitching and trembling in shame when he stops recording you and sends it to Jimin without a second’s waste. “Are you okay, baby?”

You hum with a pout as you collect yourself by standing up straight, a sway in your posture.

“Give me your panties, you’ve made a mess on the floor,” he chastises as he holds out a hand. You slip and step out of them before giving it to him. In return, he passes your phone before feigning a gasp, “Shit, I think I sent Jimin a video of you when I was trying to forward it to my phone.”

Your mouth falls open as heat consumes your entire being. “H-Huh?” Tears brim in your eyes almost instantly; your heart is pounding from anxiety.

“How will you ever look at him now,” he empathizes with a fake frown. “He must think of you as such a slut now.”

“Let me delete it,” you panic as you open your phone. “Wh-Where is it?”

He motions you to give him the phone and opens WhatsApp after. “He’s already seen it.” There are two blue ticks under the message.

“No, no, no,” you pull your hair in agony with a whimper. You quickly put your pants back on and cry as you do so.

“I guess that’s the end of your friendship,” he raises his eyebrows to himself without a hint of sympathy.

“What do I do?!” you wail and fling your hands in stress.

“Avoid him. I’ll make sure he won’t leak it.”

He steps forward to lean in your face intimidatingly. “And don’t talk to him ever again.”

You don’t exactly have a choice now, do you?

#bts imagines #bts scenarios #jeon jungkook #bts jungkook #bts x reader #jungkook x reader #bts smut #jeon jungkook smut #jungkook smut #jungkook imagines #jjk smut

656 notes · View notes

thewritetofreespeech · 3 years

Note

Is it okay if I can request head cannons of the Obey me boys (Brothers and Nowdateables if you can) reacting to a chaotic, savage MC that takes no shit and isn’t worried about their life when they get threatened? The brothers start off as jerks to them and MC’s like “I think tf not! You will treat me how you would like to be treated or we’re gonna have some problems! 🤨”

Lucifer:*threatens them* I’ll punish you if you keep embarrassing Lord Diavolo’s program! *in demon form*

MC: Luci, if I’m gonna be very honest; I don’t really care. In fact, I didn’t even ask to be here for you to nag at me like that’s my concern. Do your worst so I can cope with my trauma in my room again 😑

Leviathan:*threatening to kill MC over TSL*

MC: Go ahead, funerals are expensive anyways 😐 *genuinely doesn’t care*

That’s literally all my picks in the game, and I think the boys assume I’m a serial killer. *Insert Rick & Morty Summer shrug*

Obey me Boys + ‘Fight Me’ MC Headcanons

Lucifer

At first he thinks it’s all bravado

Which is really just annoying

Once he realizes that they really don’t care, he’s amused and intrigued

Concerned for their safety though. Bravery is one thing. Stupidity is another

Mammon

Flabbergasted

No one has ever clapped back at him before

Doesn’t know what to do with an abnormal response like that and just deflates like a flan in a cupboard

Low key high key more in love with MC

Levi

Metal Gear Solid exclamation point sound

Doesn’t know what to do if someone calls his bluff

His bark is a million times worse that his bite

Goes from big attack dog to shivering lap puppy in 2 seconds

Satan

Frowny face

Does not like this attitude (even though he’s the one copping attitude by threatening to maim you)

Will try to reason with MC since violence doesn’t seem to be the answer

Admires & respects them after a while. You have to be tough to hand in the Devildom

Asmo

The only thing Asmo like abrasive is his loofa

Would not respond well to chaotic energy

Attempts made to have MC act more delicate and genteel. Like a backwards, demon My Fair Lady play.

Low key aroused. But then again, what doesn’t get him aroused

Beel

Confused. Why do you want to fight everybody?

Wouldn’t really get where this energy is coming from, since his life’s goal seems to be peace and harmony wherever he can find it which is rare in the HL

Gets upset when you talk about yourself that way, like your life doesn’t matter

Also mistakes MC’s ‘fight me’ energy as wanting to spar. Sparkle eyes over the idea to train.

Belphie

“Ahh...my angel”

Being super yandere, he’d respond really well to this

Someone who will love him even though he’s moody and violent and would straight up cut people. Yes please!

Will test the bonds of your loyalty and bravery though. Be sure to dodge.

Solomon

Calm down Beyoncé......

His dry sense of humor is often misunderstood. So his ‘threats’ are really a joke

Would find it incredibly amusing if you came back at him with an equally cool ‘come at me bro’ quip

Congratulations. You are now best friends

Luke

Cue sad puppy eyes

I think his ‘threats’ would be more cranky comments about how your no better than those smelly demons

But he really doesn’t mean it! Honest, honest! Please don’t be mad!

More senpai in love with you if you use your ‘cool stats’ to stand up for him. His shiny human hero.

Simeon

Wh....Why would you say that?

Would not understand why you had such an extreme reaction.

Being an angel, and their expression level on standard neutral, he wouldn’t really get why you would want to react this way to things

Not every slight deserve a response. Let’s move along dear.

Diavalo

Cue trade mark boisterous laugh

As mentioned before, you have to be tough to hang in the Devildom

Proud and admires your spunk in not letting things get to you

Let’s both do our best and be strong together!!

Barbatos

Amused and delighted by your spirit

Unintentionally the one that makes you feel most like a child with his response

He doesn’t mean it. It’s just that unintentionally condescending butler tone

Fury more times 1000x when he pats you on the head like he doesn’t take you seriously

442 notes · View notes

yandere-sins · 3 years

Note

Your writing is just!! Mwah very good

May I request some rivalry or perhaps sharing hcs with yan diluc and yan kaeya?

Ah yes, let’s have something to sweeten my evening ~

»»———————— ♡ ————————««

Kaeya

♡ Nothing he does ever happens without some underlying intentions. Is it leverage against his sworn brother? Could be. Maybe it’s just his revenge for all the years being absent and their tainted past. Perhaps Kaeya really just wants them to have something to connect over again. He can live with the dirty glances he receives from Diluc and playing the bad cop - who’s constantly pushing boundaries - in their pairing for when their darling misbehaves. However, they quickly learn that Diluc isn’t the person to run to when the brothers disapprove of the darling’s doings, or they might suffer from a punishment worse than if they go to Kaeya for help. Then again, ice might help soothe a wound, but only until it becomes a much more dreaded cryogenic burn.

♡ Kaeya isn’t putting up a rivalry between them. He much rather wants to share the darling with Diluc, but the latter isn’t as into the idea as Kaeya is. And yet, when he sees his brother so restrained and having no fun, Kaeya believes it’s his personal duty to tease Diluc into relaxing a bit and helping with tending to their darling. Whenever Diluc plays unapproachable, he’ll make sure to ask the darling ridiculous questions about who they like better, his once comforting hand now an icy and silent warning to not chose wrong. There’s something exhilarating in seeing Diluc bite his lip when he isn’t chosen, the slight pout and cold stare making it worth the tease. Knowing that Diluc wouldn’t just touch their darling unprovoked also plays into the reason why Kaeya likes to handle them so much, pulling them on his lap and running his hands up and down their body until they squirm. It’s when Diluc wants to interfere that Kaeya makes it clear to not get into his way, sparks of possessiveness erupting between them. Kaeya will tell his brother he’d prefer it if he left the two alone if he’s planning to just stand and watch, leaving his brother to seethe by himself as he storms out. At the same time, Kaeya remains with a knowing grin on his lips and their sweet darling in his embrace, winning almost every one of those battles.

♡ Knowing that Diluc is organizing everything for the darling, Kaeya can focus on all the nice things. Bringing them presents and what they ruefully request from him, even if they have to beg. He really, truly believes and makes himself out to be the good guy, but everyone involved knows his intentions are far from it. Every present comes with strings - sometimes literally. He’ll make use of all the good deeds to get what he wants from the darling later. Admittedly, oftentimes the presents are of more use to him than the darling, but he gives them back a little bit of what they desperately seek - freedom. A new book here, some flowers there. Clothes to choose from - plus the permission to dress as they please - and sweets and drinks for the more depressing days to enjoy with or without him. While Diluc seems to accept what the darling is willing to give, Kaeya takes everything he wants. But if he isn’t too needy, too forceful, or too drunk, Kaeya is their go-to brother because he has their darling on hooked on all the good he can do for them. Not like he wouldn’t take what belongs to him even if they were to hold on to Diluc desperately. Only a drawn sword might be able to deter Kaeya - until Diluc isn’t there to protect them anymore, at least. Kaeya doesn’t forget what he feels he’s owed.

Diluc

♡ Diluc has a goal, and that’s what he’s focusing on. He wants his darling to be safe, and knowing he has to share them with his ‘brother’ isn’t really helping. He constantly has someone watching over the darling’s room, but Kaeya bribed the guards, a knock against the door warning him of approaching danger when he shouldn’t be in the darling’s room. Nonetheless, when Diluc finds his darling crying on the bed, covered with their bedsheet, he knows that Kaeya has been back, making him angry enough to have lost a few of the guards already in a bloody mess. The deal is that the two aren’t allowed to be alone together, but Kaeya seemed to have forgotten about the promise after it was made. And on the few awful days that Diluc has to watch over Kaeya pushing himself onto his darling, challenging his own brother with a pesky grin and his name dripping off his lips, Diluc can feel the headache it’s causing him, wondering if it’s really worth the pain to share his darling. But he has to, even if it’s just to keep himself and his darling save from the Knights of Favonius with Kaeya’s help.

♡ Undeniably, though he does deny it harshly, Diluc does have a bit of a jealous attitude towards his brother. He knows everything Kaeya does while staring Diluc in the eye provocatively is merely to make him nervous and break his composure. Sometimes it’s hard to just stand by and watch, but if there ever was a fight breaking out between the two, no one knew how much danger it would put the darling into. Meaning, Diluc has to make sure that it will never happen, even if that means he has to leave them alone. The many times he sighed once he left their room, scared for his darling, but relieved that he didn’t have to see something he never would want to witness, are hurting him and causing frustration. And when Kaeya makes them say that they like him more than Diluc, it stings, even though he knows that Kaeya is threatening them into it. Still, he’d want to be their first choice too. And sometimes, just sometimes, he wants to switch places with Kaeya, just to know how it is to handle their darling and not keep a painful distance to them because it was necessary. Occasionally, he manages to break the darling out of his brother’s fangs. Still, perhaps because he has no way of comforting them, putting them back in bed the moment Kaeya leaves, he always feels a bit jealous of his brother, who has so much more freedom with them. But freedom isn’t safety. That’s the only thing Diluc can think about.

♡ Diluc has to admit that there are times he sees them misbehave, and for that, he punishes them. Kaeya, on the other hand, has a habit of doing it for the most minor things like the darling shaking their head or looking at Diluc for help. However, other than Kaeya, Diluc believes he’s still the better liked and ‘good’ brother of the two. After all, he’s the one that cleans up the mess, feeds them, tends to their wounds. Everything that Kaeya leaves behind after having his fun with Diluc’s sweet darling is Diluc’s responsibility. The darling’s wardrobe is so full of awful colored, itching, and frilly fabrics that sometimes their darling is very appreciative of the simple shirt and trousers that Diluc keeps hidden until needed for them. Their teeth are going bad from being fed all those overly sweet and tough-to-eat presents, so even though they reject his efforts, Diluc makes sure to brush it for them thoroughly. It’s the only kind of direct contact with them, and with his mind focused on the task, he also keeps his thoughts from straying. Diluc knows he deserves nothing for the efforts he makes - after all, he’s aware that he locked them inside of this room - but if at the end of the day he knows they can sleep soundly, it’s enough for him. Kaeya is giving him a headache, but seeing a tired, automatic smile as he hands his darling water or fresh clothes makes it all worth it. And as much as he despises him, Kaeya did help bring Diluc and his darling closer together. Even if Diluc’s and Kaeya’s relationship is strained and complicated, it helps build more of a relationship with his darling. Though he has to always be behind his brother and make sure his darling is as safe as possible, Diluc at least gets to harvest the fruits of his labor slowly and satisfyingly. And if anyone knows how to do that, then the wine tycoon of Mondstadt.

152 notes · View notes

canary3d-obsessed · 3 years

Text

Restless Rewatch: The Untamed, Episode 26, part two

(Masterpost) (Other Canary Stuff)

Warning! Spoilers for All 50 Episodes!

Content note: This episode has a lot of lightning, but this post does not have lightning flashes--I’m using mostly stills for those parts, or I’ve snipped out the unfriendly frames before giffing.

Qing-Jie

Having successfully ruined Jin Guangshan’s party plan to get the Yin Tiger seal, Wei Wuxian dashes off to tell Wen Qing where her brother is. She hops up to hit the road with him, but then sorta-faints because she’s starving. In a rare moment of tenderness between these two, he catches her and gently sits her down again.

Normally they’re busy out-toughing each other, both before and after this moment, but right now Wen Qing is openly vulnerable. Wei Wuxian responds to that, predictably, with all of his kindness and with his usual slew of unwise, impossible-to-keep promises.

As she eats the bread he’s brought her--a parallel to an important piece of bread in his early life--he says they have to believe in Wen Ning’s survival. Cut to: Wen Ning, not surviving.

I mean, yes, yes, he’s only mostly dead, but he’s never going to be fully alive again, so.

24 Hour Party People

Back at the party, Jin Guangyao, deliberately, I think, goes to offer his pops a drink while his pops is still super furious and looking for someone to take it out on. The servant lady is like, better you than me, pal, and helps JGY get his drink ready. Pops, predictably, knocks the drink onto Jin Guangyao.

(more behind the cut)

Lan Xichen is standing by with a hanky and a face full of worry. Lan Xichen is so Lanny that he thinks JGY needs to go change clothes after getting clear alcohol spilled on him, rather than just letting it evaporate and smelling pleasantly of booze for the rest of the evening like a normal party guest.

JGY launches into a criticism of Wei Wuxian, which Lan Wangji listens to very carefully, frowning. Lan Xichen, Nie Huasang and Jiang Cheng listen as well, and don’t speak up.

A Clear Conscience

Then Lan Wangji *literally* steps out of his brother’s shadow, and speaks in defense of Wei Wuxian. This right here is Lan Wangji’s turning point, as far as I’m concerned. Xichen is gazing at JGY, totally on board with JGY’s spin of the situation, and his shadow falls away from Lan Wangji’s face as LWJ steps forward.

Lan Wangji says, isn’t what WWX said true? JGY puts on his customer service smile and says that the truth isn’t something you’re supposed to go around saying out loud.

I’d like to say this is what’s wrong with cultivator society but this is really a universal human thing; every society has rules about upsetting the social order, and they are very frequently at odds with basic compassion and morality.

Nie Huaisang and Jiang Cheng stay silent but Lan Xichen goes and throws Wei Wuxian under the bus carriage, saying his character has changed.

Lan Wangji nods decisively at this, and bows to Lan Xichen, silently asking permission to follow Wei Wuxian. Lan Xichen grants permission, telling Lan Wangji to do his best. Lan Xichen probably thinks he and Lan Wangji are in agreement, in this moment, but that nod of Lan Wangji’s was nothing of the kind.

That nod was Lan Wangji agreeing with himself; he is going to try to bring Wei Wuxian back but he is also going to listen to him. Meanwhile Lan Xichen is tying himself in knots to appease Jin Guangyao. The divergence between the brothers will just grow, from this point onwards.

Lan Wangji leaves to go follow his boyfriend conscience, while Jiang Cheng continues to silently listen to the commentary of others, and gets so mad he crushes a wine cup.

It Was A Dark and Stormy Night.

Wen Qing and Wei Wuxian arrive at the prison camp, and the first person they encounter is Granny, with a defaced Wen Banner in her hand and Wen Yuan on her back.

Whenever I read a meta or a fic that talks about how the juniors are so sweet partly because they are “untouched by the war” I want to point to this moment. A-Yuan endures an absolute truckload of war trauma by the time he’s four years old, and while Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji both deserve a lot of credit for saving him at great risk to themselves, Granny and Uncle Four are the first heroes of A-Yuan’s story. His kind, mellow personality has a lot in common with theirs.

This is followed by an eternity of Wen Qing running around asking if anyone’s seen her brother. Eventually Wei Wuxian gets tired of this and gathers the guards together, threatening them with Chenqing.

He doesn’t need to play it; just holding it up has every Jin dude instantly kneeling and scared.

The guards send him and Wen Qing go to a giant field of corpses, where Wen Qing runs around checking to see if any of them is her brother. Wei Wuxian starts off kind of detached and angry, but eventually snaps out of it, tucks away his flute and starts helping her to search.

Wen Qing finds Wen Ning, mostly-dead with a lure flag speared into his belly. Wei Wuxian grimly takes in the situation from across the field of corpses.

When he arrives at Wen Qing’s side he sees this talisman in Wen Ning’s hand.

This is the talisman that Wei Wuxian made for Wen Ning back in Gusu summer school, before the war. It’s the one that Wen Ning was wearing at his waist when they met up after the massacre of Lotus Pier. It’s supposed to literally protect Wen Ning from having his spiritual consciousness snatched, as well as being a symbol of Wei Wuxian’s sense of responsibility for, and affection for, Wen Ning.

Wei Wuxian, understandably, loses his shit at this point. Less understandably, he is about to decide that the best way to express his sorrow and rage is to re-animate the corpse of his friend, right in front of the corpse’s sister. Like, seriously, dude. Dude.

Ghost General

This super-questionable decision leads to one of the most badass sequences in the show, which is unfortunately chock full of lightning flashes, so not everyone can watch it. Wei Wuxian and his flute and swirls of resentful energy come marching out of the darkness of the corpse field, back to the guards.

The guards have decided to slaughter all of the prisoners and then run away, which would be a good plan except they should really have skipped right to the running away part of things. When Wei Wuxian accuses them of killing the prisoner in the corpse field, they claim that the Wens have a habit of falling off of a hill and dying. Wei Wuxian can relate.

At this point Wei Wuxian summons up Wen Ning 2.0, ultra badass edition, who comes flying through the air with his odd, straight-armed fighting stance and cool solid-black eyes and rock-and-roll hair.

Soundtrack: *Four Sticks*

Wen Ning proceeds to whale on the guards and scare the shit out of his relatives.

Then Wen Qing shows up and begs Wei Wuxian to stop. She explains that Wen Ning is only mostly dead. Like, if he was fully dead would she be okay with this?

Wei Wuxian tries to reel Wen Ning in and realizes that he is not actually in control of Wen Ning. Ok, see, right from the first day of Wen Ning 2.0, WWX is aware that his control is iffy. Why does he think he’s going to be able to control him later?

Anyway, this is where we learn Wen Ning’s grown-up name is Wen Qionglin. Wei Wuxian yells this name, and Wen Ning looks up like a cat hearing the “food noise,” and then proceeds to get control of himself.

This is such a nice symbolic moment, that will be replayed later in the temple, when Wen Ning saves Jin Ling from Baxia.

Wen Ning has a remote-code-execution OS vulnerability throughout the story; his soul is at risk of being stolen, and he is magically controlled by Wei Wuxian, Xue Yang, Su She, and Baxia. Meanwhile Wen Qing, Wei Wuxian, and random kids on the street mostly treat him as a child, despite his clear adult capabilities. Wen Ning’s journey in The Untamed is at least partly about asserting his full adulthood, and his ability to overcome magical control is directly connected to that journey.

After getting Wen Ning to chill, Wei Wuxian calls the floating resentful energy back into his own body, which looks about as comfortable as swallowing a burp.

On the plus side, apparently resentful energy keeps your hair dry even when it’s raining.

Wei Wuxian should take a page from the guards’ book and slaughter all the Jin witnesses to this situation, but he decides to be the better person and let them live. They go running off down the road, where they encounter Lan Wangji and give him the 411, saying that Wei Wuxian resurrected dead people.

Meanwhile Wei Wuxian collects Wen Qing--half-fainted, again, in an echo of the start of their journey--and collects the Dafan Mountain Wen group, who are hiding, wisely. When they see Wen Ning, Uncle Four and some others start to freak out, but Wei Wuxian tells them that fierce corpses are cool, and they all grab horses and mount up.

Where Are You Going?

Lan Wangji is waiting for them, nonconfrontationally indulging in some visual poetry while he waits.

In a show where every prop is exquisitely, carefully designed to enhance our understanding character, his Gusu-toned umbrella reveals surprising red and yellow threads woven in, right above his eye line as he looks at Wei Wuxian.

Wei Wuxian speaks first, saying “you came to stop me?” Lan Wangji doesn’t answer, but asks him where he’s going. Then Lan Wangji warns him that he’s about to abandon orthodoxy forever, if he follows through.

Wei Wuxian challenges this idea of orthodoxy, asking if Lan Wangji remembers the promise they made together, back in Gusu. It’s worth noting that they both appear to think of it as a co-promise, even though Lan Wangji didn’t speak aloud at the time.

The conversation will continue in the next episode, because what’s better than a rainy romantic cliffhanger?

Soundtrack: Four Sticks by Led Zeppelin

#the untamed #the untamed gifs #wangxian #wen ning #restless rewatch the untamed #canary3d-original #my gifs #episode 26

196 notes · View notes

kusagrasskusa · 3 years

Text

Gaara X Innocent! Reader - "Hellfire"

Gaara's age is bumped up to 16 in this btw, and the reader is 16 as well. This takes place the night Gaara kills that one Sound Ninja on the rooftop, during the chunin exams. Also, Gaara might be considered a Yandere, but I don't know (you'll see why lol) Lastly, when I talk about Gaara burning, I mean it metaphorically. Yes, this is 100% based off The Hunchback of Notre Dame

FYI! This story isn't very romantic so if you're a fan of slightly darker stories, go ahead snd read this I suppose. Plus Y/N is kinda a coward in this

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There he sat, on top of the rooftop late at night. Tomorrow would be the full moon, when Gaara's power would increase in perfect timing for another battle in the chunin exams. Competition is getting tough and examtakers are either extra aggressive with everyone or forming alliances. Not only that, but so many people are winning each challenge that too few people are being eliminated. That's all that's important and all that will be important until the Sand Village finally finishes off Konoha with the help of the Sound Village. But how, even with these much more important factors, is the only thing Gaara could think about is some normal pediatrician girl?

The moment he met her in the streets, a flame was set in his heart. He had been walking through Konoha after register for the exams and noticed a pretty young girl running through the streets, shouting for help. All she received was weird glances and eye rolls, however Gaara and his siblings caught on. Much to his sister and brother's surprise, Gaara had no problems hearing her pleas and then defending her. Someone had been following her; someone who her family had bad history with and from the looks of it, that person planned to hurt her.

He had no problems escorting her home and listening to her talk along the way. Her voice was so soft, her colorful kimono and flowers in her hair fitting for someone with an innocent and sweet personality. She seemed to be oblivious to the mysterious looks of Gaara and his siblings, or the way Gaara was so cold and silent. She payed no mind and spoke to him as id he was normal; like he was human. And it was that fact, her ignoring his dangerous aura, that lit that flame.

After since that day, that flame grew so strong. Every set of bright shades of the colors she wore on her clothes, every flower that she decorated herself with, every word or item that she mentioned in the little time she spoke to him, and everyone with E/C eyes would make him think of her. That sweet, kind, oblivious girl. It's like she cast a spell on him to make him slowly burn alive; that little flame she set it him would quickly grow into hellfire. His burning desires to see her again, to hold her, to love, traveled through his skin and veins. It didn't take long for Gaara to convince himself she did something cruel to him to use his demon, just like his father is using his demon to destroy Konoha in a few days.

Gaara was began to assume the girl was mocking him when she spoke to him so lightly; that he was no one to be afraid of. It was so insulting, but she was able to hide her cruel and disgraceful jeers under a sweet and loving facade and cute clothing. That has to be it, he thought. No one could ever like me, no one can love me, other than me. More and more of Gaara's thoughts were consumed, then all at once, by thoughts of her. She was like a demon dragging him to hell to torture forever. That beautiful girl with those lovely E/C eyes and pretty clothing was using him, he convinced himself. And someone like that deserved death.

That sweet, young girl had a name; Y/N. She was incapable of sleeping, as a terrible feeling in her stomach was keeping her awake. She pouted her lip and huffed, poking her stomach and whispering to herself, "I want that bad feeling to go away!" That feeling was pure anxiety and a hint of fear. These emotions were very uncommon for Y/N as she had always. Even a positive thinker with lots of love in her heart for even villains to an extent. She sighed, turning over in her bed on her back for sitting up, flipping her legs over her bedside. She stood up and put on a soft kimono over her pajamas and walked to the front door of her home, put on her sandels, and walked out. "Maybe a nice walk around the village will tire me out!"

"It's almost the full moon," Gaara said aloud. "My power will only grow stronger." He stood up, staring intensly at the moon as if it's the only thing keeping him from being devored by his hellish thoughts. His thoughts of how lovely it would be to destroy that girl who made his chest feel warm and his face heat up when she talked to him. That girl who made him feel the way he feels about himself, only a bit different. He had never felt romantic love to anyone, and for him to suddenly feel so strongly about someone instantly convinced him that she did something to him. Someone who would ever control him like would burn in hell before the hellfire consumes him first.

A rough, quiet and threatening voice erupted from behind the redhead. He paid no mind to anything that came out of the mouth of the Sound Village ninja rather just acknowledged that he wanted a fight. Without even realizing it, all that bloodlust built up through thinking of Y/N was released, ending in that Sound Village ninjas blood being spilled all over the roof top. It felt like a weight was taken off his back when he killed the ninja, but in the back of his head he knew it wasn't enough. Gaara didn't want that petty ninja, only that witch known as Y/N. Every passing second, that hellfire coursing through his veins were blazing out of control, weren't they?

"Maybe a nice walk around the village will tire me out!" Gaara's ears perked at that voice. That voice. Y/N's voice. Just like that, Gaara's need for blood grew strong again but this time, it felt different. He killed the Sound Village Ninja with aggression, but knowing he could kill Y/N now that he heard her close by made him feel an exciting kind of bloodlust. Those flames coursing through his body grew hotter every second, growing ever more desperate to get his hands on her.

"It's been a while since I've seen the garden at night come to think about. The moon is bright tonight so it's bound to be pretty sight!" That sweet, soft voice called out from the ground, below Gaara's feet. She walked the pathway it takes to find a nearby lake, where a nice little garden lays. A smile rose on Gaara's face; one of pure hate and excitement. His chest pained to greatly at the thought of her death, but that hellfire coursing through his body was telling him to hurt her. The front of his mind was screaming for him to kill her and use her blood as a piece of his deadly sand, but the back of his kind was whispering for him to comprehend how he feels about her first.

So he began to follow her. Gaara quietly walked from the rooftops, not daring to make a single sound. He continued to smile as he followed her, his smile growing the more he heard her talk to herself. Such a sweet girl with such a pure heart. It's a shame someone with Gaara's problems sees her as a witch because he loves her. As another 10 minutes go by, Y/N began walking into the woods and towards the lake. Gaara jumped to the ground without making a sound and followed her discreetly by hiding behind trees. He stopped when Y/N did. Y/N's eyes widened and sparkled at the amazing sight before her; the moon reflecting on the lake as beautiful flowers and trees accompanied toads on lilipads in the water. Pure bliss.

"Wow...It's incredible!" She laughed in awe. "My arms feel so weak at the sight," she spoke again as her smile widened. "I wish mom was here to see this!" Gaara hummed, looking over the scenery as well. It wasn't very interesting, but it was something he supposed. After all, Y/N loved it. Gaara looked around and saw no one nearby, meaning now would be a great time to react. He silently tip toed over to Y/N, using trees to cover himself. However, Y/N spotted him when she looked around the area in case there was anyone nearby (after all, she was being loud and who knows who lived in the area).

"Hmm? Hi, you there!" She said, waving her hand towards that silhouette behind that tree. Gaara'a face turned into one of the confusion, his "eyebrows" furrowing. Why isn't she scared of someone creeping up behind her in the woods? "Sorry if I'm bothering you! I just wanted to see what's it's like here at night. I can leave if you want," she said, swaying her body back and forth.

"...No, it's quite alright," Gaara replied as he stepped from behind the trees. He walked up the her, and instantly Y/N recognized him. She gasped, surprised.

"I remember you! You're the one that saved me! Thank you so much!" She giggled, clasping her hands together and bowing deeply. "My deepest thanks." Gaara paused, feeling his cheeks heat up a bit.

"My heart is pounding," he mumbled allowed, pressing his hand against his chest. "What have you done to me?" He asked, tilting his head to the side. Y/N stood up straight, giving him a questioning hum in return. Her face looked so innocent and sweet; it's all apart of that facade, isn't it? Gaara growled, roughly grabbing Y/N's shoulders and pulling her close. She jumped, gasping a little at the sudden action. "I said, what did you do to me? Where did this hellfire come from, you witch!" His voice went from his normal calm tone to a scream instantly.

Y/N's eyes widened and her body started to shiver a little. She furrowed her eyebrows together, stuttering out a reply. "I-I don't understand..." That answer wasn't good enough for Gaara as he had no problem throwing her to the ground and looming over her with a look of anger across his facial features. His fist was clenched so tight that his veins were showing. "I don't know what you're talking about!" Y/N yelled out fearfully, covering her face. Tears began to swell in her eyes and her voice became shakey.

Sand began to pour out from behind him and his heart ate picked up again. That flame in his heart was so strong and terrifying to Gaara that he was okay with killing the girl he fell in love with right then and now. His body was so scared that it wanted to kill her, but his heart was too scared to rid such a wonderful girl from the world forever. "Tell me, witch. What did... you do?" He asked again, staring at her so intensely that she could feel his eyes burning into her skin. She sniffed, now too scared to reply upon seeing that sand loom over her.

After a few moments, he screamed, "tell me!" Y/N chocked up on tears, taking a deep breath before replying.

"I don't know any magic or special jutsus, sir! I didn't do anything to you!" She cried out, slowly sitting up. "I'm sorry!" Gaara hissed, silent for a couple minutes. In that time, Gaara remained still as Y/N slowly began to stand up. In her mind, she was recalling words her mom once spoke to her about dangerous people. People are born innocent and harmless and only bad environments or situations can taint their purity. With that in mind, Y/N assumed that Gaara had problems that she couldn't understand. And with a heart as pure as her's, she had already forgave Gaara for scaring her and already felt sympathy for him. She slowly walked closer to him, the hairs on her neck standing up with anxiety, and put an arm on his shoulder.

That touch made him snatch back to reality. He slowly put his hand on top of her's; he was so confused and overwhelmed with opposing emotion and thought. "Then why? Why do you make me feel this way?" He asked in a low rough voice. Y/N began to wrap her arms around him and then hug him softly, shutting her eyes tightly. She managed to push her worried back as she found giving this sad, sad man affection was more important. Gaara felt his chest grow warm again and suddenly, she chuckled.

"I think your hellfire consumed me. I can't even find it in myself to kill you anymore, witch. I think I'm in love with you," he said, blinking away tears. He was so scared and his body pained to kill her, but he just couldn't. He was so overwhelmed with the pleasant feeling of Y/N arms being around him to ever lay a finger on her in anger. Instead he just hugged her back tightly, stuffing his face into the crook of her neck and sniffing. He was obviously holding back tears, which didn't work very well. Afterall, for the first time in forever, he felt like he could show a little bit of a soft side.

"You're gonna control me, aren't you? Use my feelings against me and bend me to your will? You're so cruel, even with the face of an angel." Y/N hummed, not understanding his comments. She just sighed, hugging him tighter and opening her eyes.

"Hey, Gaara, isn't it? Why don't we spend time out here tomorrow? I'd like to get to know you better."

Gaara grunted in response, closing his eyes and wiping his tears with on arm, keeping his other arm tightly around her smaller form. Yeah, whatever hellfire he feels has completely consumed him before he could stop it.

Lol sorry this written to bad!

#gaara x reader #gaara x you #gaara x y/n #gaara x innocent reader #yandere gaara #yandere gaara x reader #naruto x reader #innocent reader #reader insert #naruto shippuden #naruto shitposting #gaara is so sweet #i have a test today #anime #shounen

260 notes · View notes